When patients are unable to express their wishes and do not have surrogates or advance directives, which and whose values should inform decision making for them? We discuss ethical complexities of caring for unrepresented patients.

AMA Journal of Ethics theme editor Karel-Bart Celie, a second-year medical student at Columbia University School of Medicine, interviewed Joseph J. Fins, MD, about the work of ethics committees and consultants as they pursue professionalization and respond to changes in health care organization and practice.

Dr Olivia Kates talks about appropriate use of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medically futile/inappropriate treatments and rationing have distinct ethical justifications and applications and require separate policies.

There are nonpharmacological approaches to managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and the difficulties associated with evaluating and implementing these approaches.

A description and explanation of the distinguishing characteristics of depression, delirium, and dementia in elderly patients.

People with mental illness or a degenerative mental disease have special protections under the law when entering into contracts or other binding documents.

A description of therapeutic applications of art making in the elderly population.

As a matter of medical ethics, physicians must address the health care needs of and be advocates for family caregivers of their patients with dementia.

How to resolve conflicts between hospital policy and the treatment recommendations for an individual patient.