Dr Andrew P. Smith joins Ethics Talk to discuss his article, coauthored with Dr Hasah Alheneidi: “The Internet and Loneliness.”

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.

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

Dr Vish Viswanath talks about countering COVID-19 health misinformation spread over the internet and social media.

Dr Vish Viswanath talks about the digital spread of health misinformation and falsehoods during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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

The risks of misinformation being spread through online patient forums can be mitigated by communication strategies aimed at physicians and organizations.

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.

Pathologists’ adoption of practical social media use guidelines can help mitigate risk to patients.

The American College of Physicians and the Federation of State Medical Boards’ guidelines for online medical professionalism apply existing norms of communication and confidentiality to new settings but will need to be modified in light of technological advances and unanswered questions.