A physician at a large hospital in Jerusalem, Israel, describes his encounters with racism and ethnic tensions when working with both Arab and Israeli patients.
Physicians can ethically withhold information in situations where full disclosure of a diagnosis or treatment would cause great psychological harm to the patient.
A bioethicist argues that the government has the right to restrict or override intellectual property rights in response to a national emergency only when specific criteria are met.
The Model State Emergency Health Powers Act proposes state legislation that should be enacted to ensure an adequate and coordinated response to public health emergencies.
Physicians need to understand when it may be appropriate to let patients get involved in medical decision-making and when it may be necessary to provide their personal medical judgment.