With next-generation individual genome sequencing for medical reasons comes the ethical issue of uncovering incidental findings about one’s health. Would you like your physician to tell you that you are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease? Responding to an online questionnaire, 1200 Canadians answered that they generally would agree to receive information about high-risk disease disorders […]
Tag: ethics
Oncologists weigh the pros and cons of gene-expression profiling
Should women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer have chemotherapy? To help make that choice, some physicians recommend gene-expression profiling (GEP) tests to identify patients who may benefit from the treatment. Carrying the brand name Oncotype DX, this test analyzes the patterns of 21 different genes within the cancer cells to help predict how likely it […]
Behaviour: Does banking culture increase dishonesty?
The business culture in the banking industry may favour dishonest behaviour, a new study suggests. The authors asked 128 employees from a large international bank to play a game where they could keep the money they earned in a coin tossing game. The employees that were asked job-related questions before the experiment started cheated and […]
Do morality tales actually work?
When it comes to getting kids to tell the truth, “Pinocchio” has got nothing on “George Washington and the Cherry Tree,” a new experiment suggests. Researchers tested 268 children aged 3 to 7 to see if they would admit to an innocuous lie. Those who were read stories like “Pinocchio” – in which liars are punished […]
The ethical implications of newborn genome screening
Newborn screening relies on whole-genome sequencing to look for genetic, endrocine or metabolic disorders in babies. In a commentary article, the authors provides a list of questions about ethical, legal, and social issues raised by the future of newborn screening. They argue that the child interests should be taken into account when any changes in […]
End-Of-Life Decision Making | Webinar recording
Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel Report: End-Of-Life Decision Making – November 14, 2011 Death is an inevitable consequence of life. Yet most Canadians have never discussed end of life directives and wishes with family members or caregivers. Assisted suicide and euthanasia are contentious issues, ones currently prohibited under the Criminal Code of Canada. Yet a […]
Detecting Awareness in Vegetative Patients | Webinar recording
Detecting Awareness in Vegetative Patients – November 9, 2011 What if there was an easy, bedside method to diagnose awareness in patients who appeared to be in a vegetative state? And what if new innovations could help those “locked in” patients communicate? On November 9, 2011 the SMCC teamed up with MaRS Discovery District to launch […]
