Doctors alarmed by ‘rushed’ state laws to end restraints in mental health
The Victorian Government has enshrined a plan to eliminate physical and chemical restraints in mental health care within 10 years, but doctors warn the legislation…
Tag: Medical ethics
Will hospital bosses now listen to doctors? Why the lessons of the Lucy Letby scandal are not simple
We’ll probably never know what drove British paediatric nurse Lucy Letby to murder seven of her tiny patients and attempt to kill six more. What…
Should children be able to choose voluntary euthanasia? The ACT is considering it
The ACT Labor-Greens government is currently considering legalising voluntary assisted dying, as has recently occurred in all six Australian states. But the results of community…
Synthetic embryos: Is it ethical to create ‘living beings’ purely for research?
Is the creation of synthetic human embryos for research morally justified? This is the question scientists and ethicists are now debating following the recent announcement…
Life or death oncology: Bamboozling patients with the so-called ‘wonder’ drugs
I do my best to avoid mixing patients with leisure. After all, who wants to head out for lunch with a person on whom you’ve…
GP beneficiary of $30 million estate did not ‘groom’ terminally ill patient: Supreme Court
A GP who inherited most of his patient’s $30 million estate has overcome a legal challenge from the Salvation Army and three other beneficiaries, allowing…
‘Doctors like you are using it already’: Is medicine ready for the ChatGPT revolution?
If you weren’t already worried about your future career prospects, a few minutes with the free online software ChatGPT can change that. The artificial intelligence…
Option of last resort? One million patients prescribed cannabis, figures reveal
Medicinal cannabis is supposed to be a last resort, accessible almost solely through the TGA’s Special Access Scheme for unlicensed drugs. Yet doctors have prescribed…
Quiz — What legal basis do you have for refusing to write an immunisation exemption?
A young mother asks you to provide her with a medical certificate stating she is a conscientious objector to her children being immunised. Why are…
Why this GP is angry at colleagues who encourage weight loss: UK
A GP in the UK has accused his peers of harming patients through ‘weight stigma’, saying obesity does not cause chronic health conditions. “Weight inclusive”…
