Bioethics and Medical Ethics Commons^™

Critical Reflection And Place Based Medical Education In Bioethics, Humanism, And Professional Identity Formation: The Impact Of A Study Trip To Auschwitz, Maxwell Li, Ramona Stamatin, Hedy Wald, Jason Wasserman

Posters

Between 1939 - 1945, unethical and often ghastly human experimentation was conducted in Nazi concentration camps. Physicians working in the camps also performed selections of prisoners for work detail or immediate death. Ultimately, there was a significant amount of physician complicity in Nazism and the Holocaust, ie. the genocide of European Jewry. At the end of WWII, war crime trials against the doctors and scientists involved helped give rise to the Nuremberg Code of Ethics.

There are increasing calls for inclusion of education on medicine during the Holocaust in medical school curricula. A study trip to Poland with pre-trip study …

Ethical Concerns For Remote Computer Perception In Cardiology: New Stages For Digital Health Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, And Machine Learning, Kristin Kostick-Quenet, Jerry Estep, Jennifer S Blumenthal-Barby

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Patient Interest In And Clinician Reservations On Polygenic Embryo Screening: A Qualitative Study Of Stakeholder Perspectives, D Barlevy, I Cenolli, T Campbell, R Furrer, M Mukherjee, K Kostick-Quenet, S Carmi, T Lencz, G Lázaro-Muñoz, S Pereira

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Purpose: We explored and compared perspectives of reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists (REIs) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients regarding polygenic embryo screening (PES), a new type of preimplantation screening that estimates the genetic chances of developing polygenic conditions and traits in the future.

Methods: Qualitative thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with US-based REIs and IVF patients.

Results: Clinicians and patients often held favorable views of screening embryos for physical or psychiatric conditions, though clinicians tended to temper their positive attitudes with specific caveats. Clinicians also expressed negative views about screening embryos for traits more frequently than patients, who generally …

Patients’ And Physicians’ Beliefs And Attitudes Towards Integrating Personalized Risk Estimates Into Patient Education About Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy, Kristin M Kostick-Quenet, Benjamin Lang, Natalie Dorfman, Jerry Estep, Mandeep R Mehra, Arvind Bhimaraj, Andrew Civitello, Ulrich Jorde, Barry Trachtenberg, Nir Uriel, Holland Kaplan, Eleanor Gilmore-Szott, Robert Volk, Mahwash Kassi, J S Blumenthal-Barby

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Personalized risk (PR) estimates may enhance clinical decision making and risk communication by providing individualized estimates of patient outcomes. We explored stakeholder attitudes toward the utility, acceptability, usefulness and best-practices for integrating PR estimates into patient education and decision making about Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).

Methods and results: As part of a 5-year multi-institutional AHRQ project, we conducted 40 interviews with stakeholders (physicians, nurse coordinators, patients, and caregivers), analyzed using Thematic Content Analysis. All stakeholder groups voiced positive views towards integrating PR in decision making. Patients, caregivers and coordinators emphasized that PR can help to better understand a …

Relationships Between The Number Of Chaplain Visits And Patient Characteristics At A Large, Midwestern Suburban Teaching Hospital, Sarah E. Toates, Kevin D. Hickey

Posters

Hospital-based chaplaincy increases patient satisfaction and overall quality of life1 and has been shown to positively influence physical and mental health outcomes.2 Given that most inpatient chaplaincy departments operate with limited staff and resources, and that the vast majority (83%) of patients wish to discuss religion and spirituality with their health care team,3 understanding the activities of inpatient chaplains is essential to optimize the care chaplains provide to hospitalized patients. In general, the current medical literature lacks data to guide inpatient chaplains’ activities based on patient characteristics,4 thus, there is a need for an empirical evaluation of spiritual care departments’ …

The Consequences Of Homophobia: Analysis Of Discriminatory Medical And Legislative Policies And Their Influence On Health Disparities, Kaiden J. Fandel

Honors Thesis

Are there specific roots that influence the introduction and incorporation of discriminatory medical policies? What are the sources of such stigma, discrimination, and prejudice, in what forms does such discrimination take place, and what negative impacts does such hatred have on health outcomes, quality of care, and health disparities? Through a review of existing literature on this topic, intertwining the examination of the evolution of discriminatory policies and other explanatory literature in the United States, this thesis aims to answer the questions above, and explain the roots of such homophobic discrimination and its prevalence in the United States. Through the …

The New Professional: Navigating The Journey: Finding Your Practice Philosophy As A New Dentist, Amrita Patel Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. Amrita Patel highlights the importance of defining a practice philosophy as a new dentist. Self-reflection, mentorship, patient-centered care, continuous learning, and adaptability are crucial elements in this journey. Embracing personal values and ethics ensures authenticity and guides decision-making. The evolving nature of this philosophy underscores the need for flexibility and openness to change. Dentists can shape their professional identity and approach to patient care through introspection and experiential learning.

Parent-Led Cognitive Behavioral Teletherapy For Anxiety In Autistic Youth: A Randomized Trial Comparing Two Levels Of Therapist Support, Andrew G Guzick, Sophie C Schneider, Minjee Kook, Julia Rose Iacono, Saira A Weinzimmer, Troy Quast, Sean M Olsen, Killian Rainey Hughes, Emily Jellinek-Russo, Amanda Perozo Garcia, Abigail Candelari, Leandra N Berry, Robin P Goin-Kochel, Wayne K Goodman, Eric A Storch

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Parent-led cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an efficient, promising form of therapy that may be well suited for autistic youth with anxiety disorders, though to date it has been minimally tested. In this study, 87 autistic youth (7 to 13 years old) with anxiety disorders and their parents were randomized to two forms of parent-led CBT in which parents led their child through a guided CBT workbook across 12 weeks: one with low therapist contact (four 30-minute telehealth calls), and one with standard therapist contact (ten 60-minute telehealth calls). Anxiety, functional impairment, and autism features significantly declined across therapy, without …

Public Attitudes, Interests, And Concerns Regarding Polygenic Embryo Screening, Rémy A Furrer, Dorit Barlevy, Stacey Pereira, Shai Carmi, Todd Lencz, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Importance: Polygenic embryo screening (PES) is a novel technology that estimates the likelihood of developing future conditions (eg, diabetes or depression) and traits (eg, height or cognitive ability) in human embryos, with the goal of selecting which embryos to use. Given its commercial availability and concerns raised by researchers, clinicians, bioethicists, and professional organizations, it is essential to inform key stakeholders and relevant policymakers about the public's perspectives on this technology.

Objective: To survey US adults to examine general attitudes, interests, and concerns regarding PES use.

Design, setting, and participants: For this survey study, data were collected from 1 stratified …

Advancing Genomics To Improve Health Equity, Ebony B Madden, Lucia A Hindorff, Vence L Bonham, Tabia Henry Akintobi, Esteban G Burchard, Kellan E Baker, Rene L Begay, John D Carpten, Nancy J Cox, Valentina Di Francesco, Denise A Dillard, Faith E Fletcher, Stephanie M Fullerton, Nanibaa' A Garrison, Catherine M Hammack-Aviran, Vanessa Y Hiratsuka, James E K Hildreth, Carol R Horowitz, Chanita A Hughes Halbert, Michael Inouye, Amber Jackson, Latrice G Landry, Rick A Kittles, Jeff T Leek, Nita A Limdi, Nicole C Lockhart, Elizabeth O Ofili, Eliseo J Pérez-Stable, Maya Sabatello, Loren Saulsberry, Lorjetta E Schools, Jennifer L Troyer, Benjamin S Wilfond, Genevieve L Wojcik, Judy H Cho, Sandra S-J Lee, Eric D Green

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Health equity is the state in which everyone has fair and just opportunities to attain their highest level of health. The field of human genomics has fallen short in increasing health equity, largely because the diversity of the human population has been inadequately reflected among participants of genomics research. This lack of diversity leads to disparities that can have scientific and clinical consequences. Achieving health equity related to genomics will require greater effort in addressing inequities within the field. As part of the commitment of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) to advancing health equity, it convened experts in …

Family Accommodation In Children And Adolescents With Misophonia, Eric A Storch, Andrew G Guzick, Johann D'Souza, Jane Clinger, Daphne Ayton, Minjee Kook, Conor Rork, Eleanor E Smith, Isabel A Draper, Nasim Khalfe, Catherine E Rast, Nicholas Murphy, Marijn Lijfijjt, Wayne K Goodman, Matti Cervin

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Family accommodation (e.g., reassurance, modifying routines, assisting avoidance) has not been explored among youth with misophonia but may have important clinical and intervention implications. We examined family accommodation in 102 children and adolescents with interview-confirmed misophonia and compared its frequency and content to family accommodation in 95 children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Findings showed that family accommodation was ubiquitous in pediatric misophonia and may be even more frequent than in youth with anxiety disorders. Assisting the child, participating in misophonia-related behaviors, and modifying family routines were endorsed by more than 70% of parents of children with misophonia. Further, compared …

Conscientious Objection: Understanding When And Why Primary Care Physicians Object To Providing Health Care To Transgender And Gender-Diverse Patients In An Appalachian Medical Center, Mili S. Patel, Kelley A. Jones, Laura Davisson, Elizabeth Miller, Nicole Kahn, Pamela J. Murray, Kacie M. Kidd

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals face barriers to accessing primary and gender-affirming care, especially in rural regions where a national shortage of medical providers with skills in caring for TGD people is further magnified. This care may also be impacted by individual providers’ strongly held personal or faith beliefs and associated conscientious objection to care.

Purpose: This study assesses the prevalence of conscientious objection to providing care and gender-affirming hormone (GAH) therapy to TGD individuals among physicians in an Appalachian academic medical center.

Methods: An anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey of physicians was distributed to resident and faculty physicians in …

Direct Implantation Of Patient Brain Tumor Cells Into Matching Locations In Mouse Brains For Patient-Derived Orthotopic Xenograft Model Development, Lin Qi, Patricia Baxter, Mari Kogiso, Huiyuan Zhang, Frank K Braun, Holly Lindsay, Sibo Zhao, Sophie Xiao, Aalaa Sanad Abdallah, Milagros Suarez, Zilu Huang, Wan Yee Teo, Litian Yu, Xiumei Zhao, Zhigang Liu, Yulun Huang, Jack M Su, Tsz-Kwong Man, Ching C Lau, Laszlo Perlaky, Yuchen Du, Xiao-Nan Li

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Despite multimodality therapies, the prognosis of patients with malignant brain tumors remains extremely poor. One of the major obstacles that hinders development of effective therapies is the limited availability of clinically relevant and biologically accurate (CRBA) mouse models.

Methods: We have developed a freehand surgical technique that allows for rapid and safe injection of fresh human brain tumor specimens directly into the matching locations (cerebrum, cerebellum, or brainstem) in the brains of SCID mice.

Results: Using this technique, we successfully developed 188 PDOX models from 408 brain tumor patient samples (both high-and low-grade) with a success rate of 72.3% …

Reproductive Justice In Mississippi: A Call For Reform And Acknowledgement, Andie Udziela

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I apply the values of the Reproductive Justice Movement to reproductive healthcare resources in Mississippi to advocate for reproductive policy reform. I begin by navigating the historic racial discrimination in gynecology and how it manifested in Mississippi. Dr Sim’s abusive experimentation on Anarcha, Betsy, and Lucy depict how Anti-Black racism took root in gynecology and obstetrics and was later expanded on by the eugenic goals of white supremacy and the feminist movement through Margaret Sanger and the Mississippi Appendectomy. Then I discuss the current availability of reproductive care in Mississippi to low-income individuals to emphasize socioeconomic and …

A Persuasive Case Against Government Authority In End-Of-Life Decisions For Vegetative Patients, Helen Gizachew

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

The debate over whether the government should have jurisdiction to withdraw life support from people in a vegetative state is heating up, producing a persuasive case emphasizing the need to protect human liberty and oppose government overreach in matters of life and death. The key tenet of this argument is individual autonomy, which stresses a person's freedom to make decisions about their own life and body. Giving the government the authority to decide the fate of people in vegetative states violates this basic right, setting a dangerous precedent that undermines personal liberty and self-determination. Entrusting such decisions to a bureaucratic …

Nonfinancial Conflict Of Interest In Medical Research: Is Regulation The Right Answer, Nehad Mikhael

Journal of Law and Health

Medical research plays a vital role in advancing human knowledge, developing new therapies and procedures, and reducing human suffering. Following the atrocities committed in the name of medical research by German physicians during the Nazi era, the Nuremberg trials were held, and an ethical code was created to establish the limits within which medical research can operate. Consequently, legal regimes built upon this ethical foundation to develop laws that ensure the integrity of medical research and the safety of human subjects. These laws sought to protect human subjects by minimizing conflicts of interest that may arise during the process. Furthermore, …

The Revolutionary St. Louis Insane Asylum, Julia Talbert

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Even with its grand structure on Arsenal Street towering over the city below, few residents of St. Louis and surrounding areas are aware of the grand history or even existence of the St. Louis Insane Asylum. The building is over 150 years old and was a place of hope, failure, strife, and empathy. The asylum had a large impact on St. Louis and provided revolutionary outlooks, unique perspectives, and curious therapies.

"The Relevant History And Medical And Ethical Future Viability Of Xenotransplantation", Morgan Janes

Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics Essay Contest

Xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs or tissues from one species to another, presents a complex nexus of medical, ethical, and cultural considerations. In this article, we delve into the multifaceted landscape of xenotransplantation, beginning with a thorough examination of its relevant historical trajectory. From early experiments to recent advancements, we chart the evolution of this field, setting the stage for a nuanced discussion. We then confront the central issue: the true medical viability of xenotransplantation and the looming specter of operative risk. By scrutinizing the ethical dilemmas inherent in xenotransplantation through a multicultural lens, we illuminate the diverse perspectives that …

Harnessing Rna Technology To Advance Therapeutic Vaccine Antigens Against Chagas Disease, Chiara Mancino, Jeroen Pollet, Assaf Zinger, Kathryn M Jones, Maria José Villar, Ana Carolina Leao, Rakesh Adhikari, Leroy Versteeg, Rakhi Tyagi Kundu, Ulrich Strych, Federica Giordano, Peter J Hotez, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Francesca Taraballi, Cristina Poveda

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Chagas disease (CD) (American trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi) is a parasitic disease endemic in 21 countries in South America, with increasing global spread. When administered late in the infection, the current antiparasitic drugs do not prevent the onset of cardiac illness leading to chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy. Therefore, new therapeutic vaccines or immunotherapies are under development using multiple platforms. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of developing an mRNA-based therapeutic CD vaccine targeting two known T. cruzi vaccine antigens (Tc24—a flagellar antigen and ASP-2—an amastigote antigen). We present the mRNA engineering steps, preparation, and stability of the lipid …

Evolution Of Telehealth-Its Impact On Palliative Care And Medication Management, Syed N Imam, Ursula K Braun, Mary A Garcia, Leanne K Jackson

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Palliative care plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life for individuals facing serious illnesses, aiming to alleviate suffering and provide holistic support. With the advent of telehealth, there is a growing interest in leveraging technology to extend the reach and effectiveness of palliative care services. This article provides a comprehensive review of the evolution of telehealth, the current state of telemedicine in palliative care, and the role of telepharmacy and medication management. Herein we highlight the potential benefits, challenges, and future directions of palliative telemedicine. As the field continues to advance, the article proposes key considerations for …