The concept of professionalism in medicine has been expanded over the years to cover a broad set of ideas about everyday behavior and habits of physicians.
The relatively new phenomenon of releasing President George W. Bush's medical records to the public also serves the purpose of boosting his political image.
A recent journal article calls for a public policy that would require physician-researchers to demonstrate the absence of undue influence or coercion on informed consent.
The authors of a recent journal article believe that most doctors and clinical trial sponsors would not object to changes in regulations requiring doctors to disclose financial incentives to their patients.
The AMA's Code of Medical Ethics is cited as the gold standard for issues surrounding informed consent by family members for procedures to be performed on the newly deceased.
The Internet has changed the patient-physician relationship but may actually help that relationship become more equally balanced in terms of information flow.