Some Hospitals Sue Their Delinquent Patients. Should They?
Is healthcare like any other consumer good in the marketplace or does it occupy a privileged position that requires special protections? Our answer has far-reaching implications.
Commodification and Exploitation in Egg Donation
Egg donation holds invaluable promise for many, but it is also rife with societal implications for all.
Marieke Vervoort and Deciding How to Die
The recent passing of Belgian Paralympian Marieke Vervoort prompts reflection on the thorny issues surrounding aid in dying legislation.
MDs vs. NDs: On the Regulation of Naturopathic Medicine
NDs and MDs are both concerned for the public's health and patient autonomy, but is formally distinguishing NDs from unlicensed practitioners an advancement of, or a hindrance to, those goals?
When Your Will Is Not Enough: Ethical Restrictions on Entering into...
A recent case highlights the conflict between paternalism and autonomy in the medical field. In what sense might one's decision to pursue an experimental treatment not be one's own?
The Ethics of Chimeric Research
Developing human/non-human embryos for research and organ transplant raises tough questions about the value of human life and the politics of species taxonomy.
Vaccination Abstention and the Principle of Autonomy
In the debate over vaccination abstention, the right to refuse medical treatment and the right to bodily integrity are in conflict with concerns of justice and public health. How can we make headway in the deadlock?
Does Care Require Personhood? The Ethics of Robot Caregiving
Emerging healthcare technologies like Rudy, Addison, and PARO should prompt us to reassess the healthcare industry and to contemplate the difference between service and care.
The UK Novocaine Shortage and Animal Welfare
Industrial agriculture has pacified some critics by using Novocaine to ease animal suffering. But what happens when there isn't enough anesthetic to go around? And what's the value of using pain relief for animals set for slaughter?
The Inherent Conflict in Informed Consent
Informed consent might look like an innocuous legal standard, but it masks a divisive political arena. And the struggle between autonomy and paternalism is not without casualties.