AMA Journal of Ethics

Clinicians with obligations to patients and to organizations often assess patients in law enforcement for both therapeutic and nontherapeutic purposes.

For an adolescent patient with extreme anorexia nervosa, steps for expressing compassion during a force intervention need to be clear.

Patients leaving against medical advice draw attention to intersections of tort law, federal and state regulations, and clinical ethics.

Vaping has been thought to be a safe, effective smoking cessation aid, but little evidence supports its value in mitigating tobacco use.

Empathic communication skills help motivate understanding of safety, significance of harms, impact on succeeding generations, and social consequences.

Clinician-researchers deeply invested in data gathering are still obliged to respect a patient-subject’s right to stop being in research.

Counseling a patient about reconstructive surgery for a traumatic and disfiguring injury requires special consideration.