Cyrus Ahalt, MPP, Rebecca Sudore, MD, Marielle Bolano, Lia Metzger, Anna M. Darby, MD, MPH, and Brie Williams, MD, MS
The teach-to-goal method should be used to assess comprehension of incarcerated patients and other vulnerable groups during the informed consent process.
AMA J Ethics. 2017;19(9):862-872. doi:
10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.9.peer3-1709.
Specific advocate guidelines are needed for the protection of children in state custody who are potential research subjects in trials that would expose them to greater-than-minimal risk but also hold the prospect of direct benefit.
Radiologists have a duty to report suspected child abuse and this duty is not satisfied by merely sharing these suspicions with the referring physician if that physician does not intend to follow up.
In “Ethics of International Research: What Does Responsiveness Mean?” Christine Grady explains how developing countries are vulnerable to exploitation by researchers and explores what “responsiveness” to the needs of those populations might entail.
Clinical trials for the blood substitute PolyHeme exposed the possibility for ambiguous interpretation of the FDA’s waiver of informed consent for emergency research.
Medical malpractice pits the legal system's ethics of client advocacy against the medical profession's ethics of patient advocacy. Fear of liability may lead to defensive medicine, an aberration of both professions' intent.
A physician defends her position that children should only participate in clinical trials when they have child assent and the parents also have been educated about the purpose of the research when there is no direct benefit to the child.