Journal of Medical Ethics articles from February 2002

Journal of Medical Ethics archives from February 2002

Two deaths and two lessons: is it time to review the structure and function of research ethics committees? Failures in research ethics review examined. (Editorial).
February 1, 2002... The recent tragic death of Ellen Roche (1) provides valuable lessons for research ethics review. The reasons for the wrongful administration of hexamethonium stem from researchers failing to act in certain ways, not from deliberate malicious...

The hexamethonium asthma study and the death of a normal volunteer in research: death of a normal volunteer highlights problems with research review and protection of subjects. (Current Controversy).
February 1, 2002... Ellen Roche was a 24 year old technician from the Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Centre who volunteered to take part in a study designed to provoke a mild asthma attack in order to help doctors discover the reflex that protects the lungs of...

White coat ceremonies: a second opinion. (Original Article).
February 1, 2002... In an earlier issue of this journal, Raanan Gillon offered an account of the so-called "white coat ceremonies" that some medical schools are beginning to perform for incoming medical students. (1) As he says, they can function as a "rite of...

Obituary.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Dorothy Mitchell Smith (1944-2001) I am saddened to draw to the attention of readers the death from cancer of Dorothy Mitchell Lawson (nee Smith) at the early age of 57. Dorothy was technical editor of the journal from 1978 to 1981, a...

Prophylactic interventions on children: balancing human rights with public health. (Original Article).
February 1, 2002... The use of prophylactic interventions in children has traditionally been justified on two grounds: Best interest of the child. The benefits of the intervention to the child outweigh the harms to the child posed by the procedure. ...

On the theory of individual health. (Original Article).
February 1, 2002... On top of elaborate methods and approaches in research, diagnostics, and therapy, medicine is in need of a theory of its own thought and action; without theoretical reflection and referentiality, action becomes blind (and thus costly) and...

Rationing, randomizing, and researching in health care provision. (Original Article).
February 1, 2002... In this paper the need for valid evidence of the cost-effectiveness of treatments that have not been properly evaluated, yet are already available, albeit in short supply, are examined. Such treatments cannot be withdrawn, pending proper...

Who is my brother's keeper? (Original Article).
February 1, 2002... Quinacrine is a drug which in its country of origin is listed as "unapproved", and therefore cannot be employed as a female sterilising agent. Nevertheless, it has been introduced into Third World countries on the basis that the demographic...

Arguments at cross-purposes: moral epistemology and medical ethics. (Debate).
February 1, 2002... Different beliefs about the nature and justification of bioethics may reflect different assumptions in moral epistemology. Two alternative views (put forward by David Seedhouse and Michael H Kottow) are analysed and some speculative...

Ethical considerations for services offering one-to-one guidance for primary care practitioners interested in research. (Clinical Ethics).
February 1, 2002... Initiatives which offer help to primary care practitioners interested in research have become widely established in the UK. (1) Their objectives are informed by the work of various national policy reports. (2-4) The approaches through which...

Is there an advocate in the house? The role of health care professionals in patient advocacy. (Clinical Ethics).
February 1, 2002... Advocacy is alleged to be a means of safeguarding good patient care. A variety of professionals claim to be best suited for the position, many stating that the role of patient advocate is inherent to their professions. The numerous players...

It doesn't cost anything just to ask, does it? The ethics of questionnaire-based research. (Research Ethics).
February 1, 2002... Traditionally, health care interventions have been assessed using predominantly biomedical outcome measures. Increasingly though, the limitations of this approach have been recognised with a commensurate rise in patient-based outcome...

Patients' perceptions of information provided in clinical trials. (Research Ethics).(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2002... A Patient's consent to participate in a clinical trial can only be regarded as morally acceptable if he or she is competent and a genuine volunteer. Not only must potential participants be provided with adequate information on which to make a...

Operation Lifeline Sudan. (Original Article).
February 1, 2002... It is not difficult to defend the provision of humanitarian aid in circumstances of natural disasters, such as flood, earthquake, or hurricane. Where there is civil war, however, certain ethical issues are raised. If access is not granted to...

Attitudes to physician and family assisted suicide: results from a study of public attitudes in Britain. (Brief Report).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Legalisation of assisted suicide presents a dilemma for society. This arises because of a lack of consensus regarding the precedence to be accorded freedom of choice versus the inviolability of human life. A combination of factors has served...

Ethics briefings.
February 1, 2002... The Human Rights Act 1998, which came into force in the UK in October 2000, has not prompted the flood of litigation or radical decisions that some commentators predicted. There was speculation, for instance, that the act might be used to...

Thank you to the journal's assessors.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... We wish to thank the assessors, listed below, who have helped on recent editions of the journal. Their advice, guidance, and support is greatly appreciated. Dr Gwen Adshead UK Professor Alastair Ager UK Dr Priscilla Alderson UK...

Gene Technology and Social Acceptance. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Gene Technology and Social Acceptance W P Von Wartburg, J Liew. University Press of America Inc, 1999, US$41.50, pp 338. ISBN 076181325X Over the past 15 years, since the publication of Walter Bodmer's report for the Royal Society,...

Medical Ethics: Sources of Catholic Teaching. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Medical Ethics: Sources of Catholic Teaching Edited by K O'Rourke, P Boyle. Georgetown University Press, 1999, 26.95 [pounds sterling], pp 442. ISBN 0878407227 This third edition of O'Rourke and Boyle's Medical Ethics: Sources of...

The Ethics of Clinical Research in Developing Countries. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... The Ethics of Clinical Research in Developing Countries Nuffield Council on Bioethics. Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 1999, free, pp 24. ISBN 0952270153 The discussion paper produced and published by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics...

The Ethics of Health Care Rationing: Principles and Practices. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... The Ethics of Health Care Rationing: Principles and Practices J Butler. Cassell, 1999, 16.99 [pounds sterling], pp 248. ISBN 0304705829 This book is about scarcity and rationing in health care and the ethical questions they raise. It...

Speaking for the Dead: Cadavers in Biology and Medicine. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Speaking for the Dead: Cadavers in Biology and Medicine D G Jones. Ashgate, 2000, 50 [pounds sterling], pp 304. ISBN 1754620735 This book is well-timed. Jones has produced a broad-ranging work focused on a novel subject: the cadaver....

The American Medical Ethics Revolution. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... The American Medical Ethics Revolution Edited by R B Baker, A L Caplan, L L Emanuel, et al. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999, US$59.95, pp 396. ISBN 0801861705 Codified moral medicine is an antidote to many problems, a bulwark...

Gene Therapy and Ethics. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Gene Therapy and Ethics Edited by A Nordgren. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 1999, 208 SEK, pp 175. ISBN 915544640X Gene therapy research and its clinical application raise a large number of ethical, legal, and social questions....

Creating Accepting Communities. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Creating Accepting Communities S Dunn. MIND (National Association for Mental Health), 1999, 9.99 [pounds sterling] (1 [pounds sterling] p+p), pp 181. ISBN 1874690871 The government's social exclusion unit (SEU) was established to...

Priority Setting and the Public. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Priority Setting and the Public P Mullen, P Spurgeon. Radcliffe Medical Press, 2000, 24.50 [pounds sterling], pp 168. ISBN 185775297X As its title suggests this book's main area of inquiry is the rationale for, and methodology of,...

Catholic Ethicists on HIV/Aids Prevention. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Catholic Ethicists on HIV/Aids Prevention Edited by J F Keenan SJ. Continuum, 2000, US$24.95, pp 351. ISBN 0826412300 This impressive and informative book deserves a wider readership than it is likely to get. Unfortunately there are...

From Chance to Choice: Genetics and Justice. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... From Chance to Choice: Genetics and Justice A Buchanan, D W Brock, N Daniels, et al. Cambridge University Press, 2000, 17.95 [pounds sterling], $US29.95, pp 398. ISBN 0521660017 With over 10 000 bases of DNA being sequenced around the...

Living and Working with the New Medical Technologies: Intersections of Inquiry. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Living and Working with the New Medical Technologies: Intersections of Inquiry Edited by M Lock, A Young, A Cambrioso. Cambridge University Press, 2000, 15.95 [pounds sterling]/ US$24.95, 42.50 [pounds sterling]/US$59.95, pp 295. ISBN...

Animals in Research: For and Against. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... Animals in Research: For and Against L Grayson. The British Library, 2000, 35 [pounds sterling], pp 300. ISBN 071230858X The use of animals for the purpose of scientific research is an emotive subject. The moral arguments often...

The Foundations of Christian Bioethics. (Book Reviews).
February 1, 2002... The Foundations of Christian Bioethics H Tristham Engelhardt Jr. Swets & Zeitlinger, 2000, 95 DF, US$39.95, pp 414. ISBN 902651557Xp In this book, H Tristram Engelhardt Jr outlines his interpretation of Christian bioethics. His...

A Cross-cultural Dialogue on Ethical Challenges in Healthcare. (Notice).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... An international conference on health care ethics, A Cross-cultural Dialogue on Ethical Challenges in Healthcare, is to be held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, from 10-13 March 2002. It is being organised by the UAE...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2002... In the December 2001 issue of the journal the Book reviews section was incorrectly headed Letters. We wish to apologise to readers for any incovenience this error caused.