Bioethics and Medical Ethics Commons^™

Designing Inclusive Newborn Sequencing Research: Insights From Parents In Underrepresented Communities, Maya C Del Rosario, Sheyenne A Walmsley, Barbara W Harrison, Crystal T Stephens, Bethany Zettler, Greysha Rivera-Cruz, Priyal Agrawal, Amy Brower, Stephanie Chigbu, Kurt D Christensen, Casie A Genetti, Richetta Givens, Nina B Gold, Inez V Reeves, Isabella Schichter, Habib Shariat, Sandra Simon, Hadley Stevens Smith, Melissa Uveges, Robert C Green, Ingrid A Holm, Stacey Pereira

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: It is essential that studies of genomic sequencing (GS) in newborns and children include individuals from under-represented racial and ethnic groups (URG) to ensure future applications are equitably implemented. We conducted interviews with parents from URG to better understand their perspectives on GS research, develop strategies to reduce barriers to enrollment, and facilitate research participation.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 50 parents from URG.

Results: Nearly all parents said they would be interested in participating in an infant GS study. Parents were interested in participating in GS research for reasons including clinical utility, personal utility, and/or family health benefits. Deterrents …

The Consequences Of Attempted Human Perfection: Genetic Enhancement And Why It Is Immoral, Kiran S. Sajnani

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

In the field of biomedical ethics, genetic enhancement—the alteration of human DNA to increase characteristics beyond normal function—is a highly contested topic. Genetic enhancement presents serious ethical issues, especially when gene therapy seeks to treat or prevent disease. This paper makes the consequentialist case that genetic enhancement, whether somatic or germline, is intrinsically unethical because of its ethical, societal, and systemic ramifications. The autonomy of future persons is violated by germline enhancement, which also runs the risk of deepening socioeconomic gaps and escalating intergenerational inequity. Even though it only affects the individual, somatic augmentation undermines human diversity and agency by …

The Ethical Limits Of Physician Autonomy In Reproductive Medicine, Isabel Martens

Honors Theses

In vitro fertilization is a relatively new medical practice that helps people who face infertility be able to reproduce. Reproductive medicine providers face ethical dilemmas often in their field, only some of which have standards of care. There are questions in the medical landscape pertaining to physician autonomy versus patient autonomy, which heavily apply to reproductive medicine providers. Patient autonomy is highly valued in medical ethics; however, physician autonomy should also be considered. When a physician decides who can and cannot reproduce, ethical considerations must be followed to maintain the practice of reproductive autonomy. Limited policies exist that manage reproductive …

Stakeholder Perspectives On Humanistic Implementation Of Computer Perception In Health Care: Qualitative Study, Kristin M Kostick-Quenet, Meghan E Hurley, Syed Ayaz, John D Herrington, Casey J Zampella, Julia Parish-Morris, Birkan Tunç, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby, Eric A Storch

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: Computer perception (CP) technologies-including digital phenotyping, affective computing, and related passive sensing approaches-offer unprecedented opportunities to personalize health care, especially mental health care, yet they also provoke concerns about privacy, bias, and the erosion of empathic, relationship-centered practice. At present, it remains elusive what stakeholders who design, deploy, and experience these tools in real-world settings perceive as the risks and benefits of CP technologies.

Objective: This study aims to explore key stakeholder perspectives on the potential benefits, risks, and concerns associated with integrating CP technologies into patient care. A better understanding of these concerns is crucial for responding to …

Reported Safety Practices Of Publicly Advertised Psychedelic Retreats, Amy L Mcguire, Logan Neitzke-Spruill, Jill O Robinson, Caroline S Beit, Nikita Singh, David S Mathai, Lynnette A Averill

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Importance: The availability of psychedelic retreats has grown to meet the demand for access to these substances. Despite centuries of use among Indigenous communities, psychedelics can pose serious risks for some users.

Objective: To determine safety precautions that retreat organizations that offer psychedelic substances currently use.

Design, setting, and participants: This qualitative study included structured interviews conducted by phone or email with representatives from 49 organizations publicly advertising psychedelic retreat offerings from July to October 2023. Organizations were eligible if they marketed their services in English, offered at least 1 psychedelic substance, and made contact information available online. Organizations were …

Guidance For Authors, Editors And Publishers On The Use Of Generative Ai, Christopher J. Smiley, Julie Frantsve-Hawley Phd, Michael Parks Jd, Ee, Francine Lynch Esq., D.Be, Kelly O'Brien, Ellen Thieme Mlis, Thomas Dodson Dds, Mph, Facs, David Foe, Chester Gary D.D.S., J.D., Kelly Lemke Dds, Ms, Jeffrey Platt Dds, Ms, Ba, Toni M. Roucka Rn, Dds, Ma, Facd, Hugh Wunderlich Dds

Individual Scholarship

This paper from AADEJ presents best-practice guidelines for the ethical use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) and large language models (LLMs) in the creation, editing, and publication processes in dental writing and publishing. It examines how LLMs, such as ChatGPT, can enhance efficiency across writing and publishing workflows, while also identifying the operational risks associated with their design.

Key areas of focus include the implications of LLM algorithms and training data, particularly regarding the risks they pose to intellectual property, privacy, and the integrity of the profession’s literature. Additionally, the paper provides an overview of the legal, ethical, and copyright …

Suicidality, Self-Neglect, And Medical Refusal In Advanced Illness: An Ethical Case Report, Austin Supak, Sarah Greene, Madeline Adelman, Whitney Snyders

Continental and Mountain Divisions GME Resarch Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Not Biological, But Built: Structural And Metabolic Pathways Driving Black Maternal Health Disparities In The United States, Alexandra I. Umegboh

CMC Senior Theses

Black infants in the United States are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthday than white infants, a disparity often attributed to genetics, behavior, or individual health choices. However, this idea is challenged by a key contradiction: African immigrant women consistently experience better birth outcomes than U.S.-born Black women despite being similarly racialized. This thesis investigates the origins of this reproductive advantage and the factors contributing to its decline over time. By drawing on epidemiological data, metabolic health research, and literature on African diasporic healing traditions, it argues that the “healthy immigrant effect” is not biological, …

J Am Coll Dent 2026 93 1

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The Journal of the American College of Dentists (JACD) publishes scholarly articles, editorials, essays, and reflections addressing the ethical, professional, and social dimensions of dentistry. The Journal serves as a forum for advancing ethics, professionalism, leadership, and excellence within the dental community. By fostering dialogue across disciplines and perspectives, JACD provides readers with insights that encourage ethical, professional practice, lifelong learning, and service to the public, reinforcing dentistry’s commitment to advancing oral healthcare and the common good.

The Enduring Values Of Dentistry, Donald E. Carter Iii, Dbe, Mdiv, Mba

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The Editorial is a feature in each issue of the JACD. It includes commentary on issue content, relevant topics, or other items of interest to the fellowship.

Fluoride Justice, Brandon Ambrosino Phd, Mts, Ma

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Despite once being hailed as the second most effective medical intervention of the 20th century, fluoride has recently come under public attack. Taking aim at community water fluoridation, critics allege that fluoridation should be a matter of personal choice. This claim, however, overlooks both basic dental science and, more importantly, questions about our mutual obligations. This essay argues that providing people from all walks of life with access to a safe, low-cost, easy-to-use water source proven to improve oral health outcomes is an issue of community justice.

Should Predoctoral Dental Students Provide Dental Treatment For Their Own Children?, S.M. Hashim Nainar Bds, Mdsc

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The best interest standard is a foundational ethical principle in pediatric ethics for making healthcare decisions for children. It positions a child’s interests as central in clinical decision-making, setting aside the historical notion that children are chattel or property under the unlimited authority of their parents. This paper explores ethical issues related to predoctoral dental students providing dental treatment to their own children, using a case vignette with a negative outcome. Through this scenario, this article explores the ethical issues surrounding dental students providing care to their own children.

The Ethics Of Dental Insurance Submission And Adjudication, Robert Rosenthal Dds

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Dental insurance claims sit at the intersection of professional ethics, contract administration, and regulatory oversight. This article argues that claim submission and payer adjudication should be treated as ethical practices grounded in truthfulness, fair use of shared resources, and respect for patient autonomy. Common failure modes range from misunderstandings of benefit provisions to intentional misrepresentations of diagnosis, procedure coding, dates of service, or supporting narratives. Because payer communications and attachments become part of the claim file, inaccuracies may create downstream harm, including patient financial confusion, audit exposure, recoupment, network consequences, and professional discipline. This article offers practical guidance to help …

Overcoming And Preventing The Devastation Of Burnout In The Patient Care Setting, Deepesh Patel Ds, Mdjf, Dip, Imp, Dent, Mclindent (Pros), Fpros (Rcs Ed), Mpros (Rcs Eng), Facd, Reena Pankhania Mpharm, Pgdip, Pgcertip, Mrpharms

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Healthcare professionals commonly prioritize patients’ well-being over their own. In settings where stressful situations are common, combined with the pressures of modern-day society, this can lead to chronic stress and burnout. When one experiences burnout, their ability to perform at an optimum level is impaired. This affects the team around them and the care patients receive, making mistakes more likely. It is therefore essential to recognize the early signs of burnout and address them before the situation deteriorates. Better still, preventing burnout by prioritizing oneself fosters a happier work environment, strengthens leadership, and ultimately helps patients receive better care.

There …

When A Toothache Becomes Deadly: The Ethical Consequences Of Marginalizing Oral Health In American Medicine, Sarah F. Walsh

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The Ozar-Hasegawa Annual Student Ethics Award recognizes an outstanding scholarly submission in dental ethics, published annually in the Journal of the American College of Dentists (JACD). This article highlights the winning work, selected for its significant contribution to advancing ethical reflection and professional responsibility in dentistry.

Values That Never Change

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Each issue of the Journal of the American College of Dentists (JACD) features an archival article selected for its continued relevance to contemporary issues in dentistry. This article provides historical context and enduring insights that inform current discussions in the profession.

J Am Coll Dent 2026 92 2b

Journal of the American College of Dentists

This special issue of the Journal of the American College of Dentists responds to a growing but long-underrecognized demand for humanities and ethics in dental education, practice, and scholarship. It emerges from the work of the National Collaborative on Humanities and Ethics in Dentistry (NCHED), a multi-institutional partnership formed in 2023 to address the persistent exclusion of dentistry from broader health humanities conversations. Through national webinars and scholarly collaboration, NCHED has demonstrated substantial interest in ethical reflection, historical analysis, narrative inquiry, and the arts as essential to understanding oral health and dental care.

The unexpectedly strong response to the call …

Call To Action: A Telebehavioral Health Framework For Counselor Development, Brittany G. Suggs, Brittany J. Bice-Urbach, Marlene M. Maheu, Kenneth P. Drude, Donna Ford, Jocelyn Novella, Bradford Felker, Donald M. Hilty

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The widespread implementation of telebehavioral health (TBH) services, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, created an urgent need for standardized competencies in counselor education. Many practitioners report minimal formal training, leading to significant variability in competence and a concerning gap between their confidence and actual preparedness. This article issues a call to action for counseling programs to adopt the interprofessional TBH competency framework from the Coalition for Technology in Behavioral Science (CTiBS). This structured, evidence-based roadmap outlines knowledge and skills for competent, ethical TBH practice across seven domains and three progressive levels: novice, proficient, and authority. Adopting this framework will enhance …

Organ Chips And Translational Research: Identifying And Examining New Ethical Issues, Melanie Jeske

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Organ chips, also known as organ-on-a-chip devices, tissue chips, or microphysiological systems, have emerged over the last decade as a promising translational technology amidst growing concern about the translational crisis between laboratory research and patient bedside. Pointing to high rates of failure between nonhuman animal models and safety and efficacy in humans, organ chips and similar new approach methods have attracted substantial public and private investment. As human-cell-based alternatives to animal models, organ chips promise more predictive, efficient, and ethical platforms for pharmaceutical and toxicity testing. Engineered cultivation systems that enable cells to assemble into tissue-like structures (e.g. kidney, brain, …

Anything But Endo: Diagnostic Buck-Passing In Endometriosis Diagnosis, Rita Dexter, Megan Kitts, Heather Welty, Melanie Jeske

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

People living with endometriosis, a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body, often experience prolonged diagnostic journeys because of symptom variability, normalisation of period pain and other symptoms, and lack of awareness of the condition. In this article, we analyse the endometriosis diagnostic journey through the lens of epistemic injustice. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 52 people living with endometriosis in the United States, we introduce the concept of diagnostic buck-passing to characterise the phenomenon wherein individuals who seek treatment for their symptoms end up stuck in a cycle of seeing …