Bioethics News and Research

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Philosophical study redefines moral distress in modern healthcare systems

Nurses and physicians often recognize what kind of care a patient deserves in a given moment, be it more time at the bedside, a change in pain management, or a detailed conversation about the goals of a specific treatment.

28 Aug 2026

Study reveals public willingness to select embryos using traits when given choices

A study of more than 2,000 people in the United States and China finds that the line between medical and non-medical traits, which underpins the rules on embryo testing in most countries, does not match the preferences of the public.

26 Aug 2026

Study links geography to significant differences in sperm quality

A new nationwide study has found substantial regional differences in sperm quality, with men in the highest-performing region recording almost double the total motile sperm count of those in the lowest-performing region.

6 Jul 2026

Study outlines legal challenges for fetal tissue research in Japan

Human fetal tissue research has contributed to advances in developmental biology, the study of congenital diseases, regenerative medicine, and vaccine development.

24 Jun 2026

Targeted reminders increase serious illness conversations in cancer care

New research in the June 2026 issue of JNCCN-Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network finds that small, targeted prompts delivered to both patients and providers at the right moment can significantly increase the number of serious illness conversations that take place.

15 Jun 2026

Scientists identify methylphenidate as an effective tool for combating chronic cancer-related fatigue

A new meta-analysis in the May 2026 issue of JNCCN-Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network provides updated evidence that methylphenidate-type psychostimulants-a class of medication that increases dopamine and norepinephrine availability in the brain-can provide meaningful relief for cancer-related fatigue.

14 May 2026

Psychiatrists’ use of biomarkers could open a new window into mental health diagnoses

Amanda Miller was 30 and pregnant with her second child in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when she developed depression.

17 Mar 2026

Lost in transmission: Changes in organ donor status can fall through cracks in the system

When Raven Kinser walked into a Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles office two summers ago, she completed a driver's license application that included the option to register as an organ donor.

17 Mar 2026

Structured exercise helps chemotherapy patients maintain cognitive function and mental clarity

New research in the March 2026 issue of JNCCN-Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network suggests that exercise may help people with cancer stay mentally sharp and better able to handle daily tasks, work, and social activities through chemotherapy treatment delivered on an every two-week cycle.

12 Mar 2026

Weight loss drug tirzepatide may lower the risk of diabetic retinopathy

The popular diabetes and weight loss medication tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro or Zepbound) may lower the risk of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of vision loss, according to Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

11 Feb 2026

PSMA PET/CT scans may predict prostate cancer recurrence, guide treatment

New research in the February 2026 issue of JNCCN-Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network found that incorporating information from prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT scans may be able to predict progression-free survival (PFS) and guide treatment planning in patients with rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels following removal of the prostate.

9 Feb 2026

Study finds late-career physician screening programs often lack fairness

Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. physicians with an active license is over age 65. This has spurred a small minority of hospitals to enact policies to assess these caregivers' cognitive and physical health, with the aim of reducing lapses that harm patients.

21 Jan 2026

Inside the FDA’s vaccine uproar

Six days after a senior FDA official sent a sweeping internal email claiming that covid vaccines had caused the deaths of "at least 10 children," 12 former FDA commissioners released an extraordinary warning in the Dec. 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

19 Dec 2025

BU researcher secures grant to investigate the link between nursing home architecture and health outcomes

Diana Anderson, MD, M.Arch, assistant professor of neurology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, has received a $270,418 grant from the Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation for her project "Investigating the Relationship between Nursing Home Architecture and Health Outcomes."

28 Oct 2025

Shaping future nurses through faith-based education

Nursing education is not only about clinical skills. It also shapes the values, attitudes, and sense of responsibility of those who provide care.

24 Oct 2025

Researchers highlight ethical implications of clinical trial terminations

The termination of thousands of federal grants that fund clinical trials threatens to reverse substantial progress in understanding and treating the health challenges of marginalized populations, particularly children and adolescents who are already underrepresented in research.

22 Oct 2025

Simple, affordable HPV test delivers results in less than an hour

A team of researchers led by Rice University, in collaboration with colleagues in Mozambique and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has developed a simple, affordable human papillomavirus (HPV) test that delivers results in less than an hour with no specialized laboratory required.

29 Sep 2025

Personalized risk information does not increase colorectal cancer screening rates

A new Indiana University School of Medicine clinical trial - the largest of its kind to date - found that providing personalized colorectal cancer risk information to patients and their health care providers did not improve screening rates for the deadly ailment.

16 Sep 2025

Under Trump, FDA seeks to abandon expert reviews of new drugs

FDA leaders under President Donald Trump are moving to abandon a decades-old policy of asking outside experts to review drug applications, a move critics say would shield the agency's decisions from public scrutiny.

12 Sep 2025

New tool helps identify risky medications for older cancer patients

New research published in the September 2025 issue of JNCCN-Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network validates the use of a specifically-curated tool for determining which medications may be causing harm for older patients with cancer.

10 Sep 2025