Professional society guidelines can be used to set standards for clinical practice instead of government. This approach could help if federal or state policymakers view discarding embryos as ethically equivalent to abortion.
AMA J Ethics. 2018;20(12):E1160-1167. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2018.1160.
Being undocumented is a risk factor for mental illness, and immigration status relates prominently to overall health. That’s enough to consider it protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule.
AMA J Ethics. 2019;21(1):E32-37. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2019.32.
Ava Ferguson Bryan, MD, AM, Elizabeth Yates, MD, MPH, and Neelima Tummala, MD, MSc
The health sector has obligations and ample opportunities to protect health by decreasing waste and motivating more system-wide sustainable clinical practices.
AMA J Ethics. 2022;24(10):E927-933. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2022.927.
Government- and industry-funded campaigns for medication disposal do work, but responsibility often falls on local health care organizations to provide education and services.
AMA J Ethics. 2022;24(10):E971-979. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2022.971.
Lisa Patel, MD, MESc and Katie E. Lichter, MD, MPH
Health care generates a lot of waste that enters landfills, oceans, and incinerators and adversely affects communities close to waste processing and disposal areas.
AMA J Ethics. 2022;24(10):E980-985. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2022.980.
Dumping domestic and international health care waste into the earth’s terra firma and oceans undermine global health equity and the health of vulnerable communities.
AMA J Ethics. 2022;24(10):E986-993. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2022.986.