There is evidence that some complementary and alternative treatments improve physiological abnormalities in autism and thus hold promise for improving symptoms.

When deciding whether to offer deep brain stimulation earlier than usual for Parkinson disease, it is important to consider not only the patient’s autonomy but also the validity of the evidence and concepts of harm that are being used to form practice policies.

The new Veterans Health Administration policy on the use of medical marijuana was brought about by patient advocacy in 2010.

The estimated reduction in risk of ovarian cancer for any woman undergoing opportunistic removal of the Fallopian tubes is up to 50 percent, but whether removal is more beneficial than ligation has not been established.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was widely used in the 1940s to 1960s to prevent pregnancy loss but was later found to be associated with adverse health effects in exposed offspring, underscoring the need for careful evaluation of new therapies.

This month, AMA Journal of Ethics editor-in-chief Audiey Kao, MD, PhD, interviewed Peter A. Ubel, MD, about factors contributing to the high cost of health care, how to bend the cost curve, and the compatibility of cost containment and profit seeking.

The author examines ethical questions related to the sale and marketing of Viagra and the social ramifications of the drug.

There are numerous state and federal laws designed to protect against misuse and diversion of prescription drugs that apply to patients' behavior, physicians' prescribing practices, and dispensing.

Narcotics contracts, which stipulate patient responsibilities in exchange for opiate treatment of pain, may strike some patients as onerous, but they are a good way of reducing the risk of abuse or diversion of prescription drugs while still ensuring patients get pain relief.

Today's medical students have an important role in ethical care for the dying because their role involves having conversations with patients about their experiences and values.