Results for: Medical Ethics

Dr. Sarah Benn, a former GP in Birmingham, has been suspended from practicing medicine for five months for her involvement in climate action protests. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) cited her repeated participation in demonstrations and subsequent arrests and jailings as reasons for her suspension. Dr. Benn, who had stopped practicing in 2022, argued that she had a moral duty as a doctor to take action against the climate crisis, which she views as the greatest health risk facing society. The suspension has raised concerns within the medical community, with the BMA’s representative body chairwoman expressing that it sends a concerning message to doctors who are also concerned about climate change.

Unveiling a potential collaboration between the Mayo Clinic and the CIA’s mind control research during the 1950s, this investigation highlights the importance of critical thinking in psychiatry. By delving into the murky history of the profession, residents can gain a better understanding of ethical dilemmas and the dangers of yielding to external pressures.

Ana Estrada, a Peruvian psychologist suffering from an incurable muscle-debilitating disease, has passed away through euthanasia, marking the first legal case of assisted death in the country. Despite strong conservative opposition, Estrada’s advocacy for the right to choose one’s end with dignity led to her winning a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2022. Her struggle has raised awareness about the importance of end-of-life choices, helping to pave the way for potential legislation on assisted death in Peru.

A new study finds that drug company representatives visiting doctors leads to more prescriptions for cancer patients, but it does not result in longer survival. The researchers used Medicare claims data and the Open Payments database to track drug company payments to doctors and found that doctors prescribed about 5% more oncology drugs following a visit from a pharmaceutical representative. However, the study also found that the practice did not make cancer patients live longer.