Steve Biko’s murder exposed deep racism in how medicine was taught and practised in South Africa
In 1966, Steve Biko began studying medicine at the University of Natal in South Africa, the same year that the general assembly of the United…
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Declaration of Helsinki turns 60 – how this foundational document of medical ethics has stood the test of time
The declaration of Helsinki recently turned 60, but don’t feel bad if you missed the celebrations. It probably passed unnoticed by most people not working…
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How a court ruled that patients have a right to disbelieve doctors
There is a clear ethical and legal principle that adults have a right to make decisions about their health. This is sometimes called the principle…
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what we might learn from experience of other controversial decisions in medicine
Following the second reading (and parliamentary support) of Labour MP Kim Leadbetter’s terminally ill adults (end of life) bill on November 29, much of the…
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They Weren’t Sure They Wanted Kids. They Froze Their Eggs Anyway.
Egg freezing is almost always framed as a race against the clock—the logical next step for women who know they want children later. But for many women,…
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B.C. case shows how courts offer crucial oversight when lives are at stake
A British Columbia judge recently issued an interim injunction, blocking a B.C. physician from providing medically assisted death (MAiD) to a 53-year-old woman. Her MAiD…
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What a Fertility Checkup Really Tells You
Most people don’t think about their fertility until they have a specific reason to. Whether you’re considering egg freezing, planning to start a family in the next few years, or…
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how your leftover pathology samples can be used for medical research
A doctor’s visit often ends with you leaving with a pathology request form in hand. The request form soon has you filling a sample pot,…
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Doctors should take part in acts of civil disobedience to advocate for patients
Physicians are expected to always act in the best interest of their patients. Increasingly, many doctors find they must speak up and be advocates before…
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What the ‘moral distress’ of doctors tells us about eroding trust in health care
I sit on an ethics review committee at the Albany Med Health System in New York state, where doctors and nurses frequently bring us fraught…
