An ethical case explores a lawsuit against Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center of Seattle by patients who claimed they were not told of the full risks associated with a clinical trial they participated in.
A physician describes how patients are selected for gastric bypass surgery in his practice and the lifelong relationship he commits to with his surgical patients.
Patients for gastric bypass surgery should be carefully selected on the basis of several objective factors, and those chosen should be treated and monitored by specialized teams to optimize outcomes.
The Declaration of Helsinki was recently revised to require that the control arm of a trial use the current standard of care, even if that standard is not generally available in developing nations where the research is being conducted.
A physician discusses potential factors underlying disparities in health care and health outcomes and advocates for standards to improve cultural competence, improve health literacy, and reduce disparities.
Those conducting Western-style clinical trial research in developing countries must consider the manner in which ethical principals are implemented within local standards of care.