Annals of Internal Medicine tip sheet for Dec. 30, 2014

Drs. Scott Halpern and Ezekiel Emanuel from the Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania offer five points of guidance on the use of life-sustaining therapies for patients with Ebola in developed countries in an article published in Annals of Internal Medicine. As hospital administrators in the developed world prepare to care for Ebola patients, they must consider several unfamiliar and challenging ethical and operational questions. The recommendations are intended to help institutions develop policies that balance risks, benefits, and duties to patients with Ebola and volunteer clinicians.

Note: The URL will be live when embargo lifts. For a PDF, please contact Angela Collom. To interview the lead author, please contact Dr. Halpern directly at shalpern@exchange.upenn.edu or 267-408-4653.

A commentary by America's 16th Surgeon General, David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., suggests that credibility is one of the most important qualities of an effective Surgeon General. Dr. Satcher discusses the history of the Office of the Surgeon General and the evolving role of "The Nation's Doctor." He contends that 50 years after the release of the first Surgeon General's Report directly to the American people to warn about the dangers of tobacco use, the Office of the Surgeon General has gained credibility and influence. Reports from the Surgeon General should educate, motivate, and mobilize the American people to act. And because those reports often influence policy, they should be based on scientific evidence and not the Surgeon General's own politics, religion, or personal opinion. Dr. Satcher's commentary is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Note: The URL will be live when the embargo lifts. For a PDF of the study or author contact information, please contact Angela Collom.

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