Ethics

Do We Need to Reconsider the Word… Need?

Spoon Feed
Need in medicine describes what is missing and the necessary corrective action (i.e. you need a transfusion), but this wording allows little latitude for discussion with patients and families. However, saying, “Can we talk about what this means and what to do next?” allows for dialogue without presuming the desired course of action.

Source
Reconsidering the Language of Serious Illness. JAMA. 2023 Aug 15;330(7):587-588. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.11409.

Physicians Spreading Misinformation on Social Media – What Are the Consequences?

Spoon Feed
The COVID pandemic revealed that misinformation can impede the dissemination of evidence based medicine. This article calls for institutional reform such that physicians who spread misinformation are held accountable.

Source
Physicians Spreading Misinformation on Social Media – Do Right and Wrong Answers Still Exist in Medicine? N Engl J Med. 2022 May 18. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2204813. Epub ahead of print.

Scroll to Top