This month, Virtual Mentor theme issue editor, Katie Falloon, a medical student at the Duke University School of Medicine, interviewed Dr. Thomas Price about the ethical and regulatory issues associated with assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

Dr Ariane Lewis discusses how we can navigate uncertainty and ambiguity about brain death by understanding clinical criteria for brain death determination and how our approaches to death are culturally and socially situated.

Which distinctions between minimally conscious states and vegetative states should clinicians consider?

Decriminalization of the sex trade speaks to medical ethics by reducing sex workers’ vulnerability to violence, exploitation, stigma, and trafficking.

The Nordic model policy option for addressing commercial sex—which exempts sellers from criminal penalties—offers several potential advantages.

Research and training are needed so that physicians are able to identify human trafficking victims and refer them to appropriate trauma-informed treatment.

Physicians need to help surrogate decision makers to make treatment and end-of-life decisions for those with severe neurological damage by proving a realistic prognosis and maintain strong lines of communication.

The possibilities of pre-conception selection of gender and character traits of children pose many moral and ethical questions.

While a physician cannot lie for a surrogate mother, he or she should offer to be by her side in any discussions with the intended parents.

To be best able to respond if third parties in assisted reproduction contracts break their terms, physicians should familiarize themselves with the contracts, encourage all parties to self-disclose, and, failing that, disclose material information to the other party.