Dr Nancy Krieger talks about the importance of good science to inform public policy that address longstanding health inequities during this COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Protecting patients rather than informed consent should be the goal when the complexity of information overwhelms patients’ decision-making capacity.

Physicians should ensure that overwhelmed young patients receive the psychological support they need, especially when recommending optional treatments following the grueling main treatment for breast cancer.

Physicians should ensure that overwhelmed young patients receive the psychological support they need, especially when recommending optional treatments following the grueling main treatment for breast cancer.

Physicians should not refuse to perform a medical procedure because of an emotionally charged reaction to the patients' behavior.

Physicians should not refuse to perform a medical procedure because of an emotionally charged reaction to the patients' behavior.

Limiting the right of patients to make their own medical decisions can be justified only when a patient lacks the competence to do so or pose a threat to others.

A bioethicist discusses how the need for patient autonomy and patients' rights can be fulfilled through strong patient-physician communication.

Physicians can ethically withhold information in situations where full disclosure of a diagnosis or treatment would cause great psychological harm to the patient.

Rules of managed health care and the demand for high physician productivity have harmed patients' ability to make informed, autonomous decisions.