Proliferation of innovative procedures and treatments in surgery has led to novel and distinct ethical challenges. Medicine can learn from plastic surgeons’ approaches to informed consent and potentially harmful treatments.

The bias for publishing positive clinical-research results can cause physicians to question journal articles as dependable sources of product information.

The percentages of women who have published in academic medical journals over the last 3 decades continues to grow.

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 government is justified in using eminent domain to purchase patents in order to produce large amounts of medication during a public health crisis.

Physicians are cautioned that the two obstacles to reforming post-marketing clinical trials are the FDA's reluctance to revisit past approvals and its inability to enforce pharmaceutical companies' commitment to conduct Phase IV trials.

Legal and ethical questions arise when a physician receives remuneration for prescribing a drug to a patient.

A distinguishing feature of a SCAMP is its ability to capture knowledge-based diversions from a recommended pathway and to “learn” from such individualized patient management.