Fall 2023

Many people worldwide, particularly those with disabilities and the elderly, suffered greatly not only as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic but also as a result of the lockdowns. In this article we set out widely-accepted ethical criteria for assessing when coercive public health measures are justified.  We then review the empirical evidence, not least concerning the benefits and costs of the lockdowns...

A complex biological and psychological series of events commence at fertilization and continue through parturition between the preborn human organism and his or her mother, which extends far beyond the physical connection between an adult patient and contained tissue. This guideline reviews evidence in support of various aspects of this bond and its implications for care of the maternal patient.

Adult stem cells dominate worldwide stem cell clinical trials. We investigated factors that may explain levels of stem cell research across different countries. Stem cell trials from clinicaltrials.gov were counted and categorized based on the country, the type of stem cell used, and whether that type is ethically controversial. The trial data were compared with characteristics of the countries such as population and GDP. We looked at the general ethical position of the countries by ranking their favorability toward abortion via their legislation. We found GDP...

Considerable controversy exists about the effects of medication abortion on the incidence of preterm birth (PTB). Medication abortion of various types continues to be touted as a safe alternative to surgical abortion, and without increased risk for PTB. There is a paucity of evidence regarding medication abortion and PTB, but available papers are reviewed here. There is moderate-quality evidence that medication abortions which require surgical completion increase PTB rates more than surgical abortion alone.

This guideline on fetal tissue research discusses the moral status of the human fetus, the state of ethics for medical research on vulnerable subjects, aspects of medical research using human fetal tissue, and the necessity of including fetuses as a protected class under vulnerable populations in research. The debates connected to embryo stem cell research and other research related to embryos are beyond the scope of this document.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a Committee Opinion in November 2007 titled “The Limits of Conscientious Refusal in Reproductive Medicine.” This document, claiming to speak on behalf of the entire profession of Obstetrics and Gynecology, proposed that conscience rights of healthcare professionals have limits with regard to certain aspects of patient care. Despite calls for revision from many within the profession, this document was reaffirmed in 2016, unchanged. This document provides a detailed analysis of the ethical flaws in ACOG Committee Opinion 385.