Serious ethical violations in medicine: dealing effectively with outlier peers
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[Note: The video is not available from this event.] This presentation will engage the problem of serious ethical violations in medicine (SEMs). Examples of SEMs include criminal prescribing of controlled substances, performing unnecessary surgeries for profit, and sexually abusing patients. SEMs harm patients, waste scarce resources, and profoundly damage trust in medicine, particularly when institutions are perceived as enabling abuse. Drawing from his NIH-funded study of more than 300 cases of SEMs, DuBois will share findings on the motives and environmental factors that enable violations to occur. While SEMs are relatively rare, the current oversight system is ineffective at preventing repeat instances of SEMs by offenders. DuBois will share consensus recommendations offered by a diverse panel of physician leaders and educators, lawyers, ethicists, and patient advocates, and explore the ethical and practical challenges involved in reforming oversight and disciplinary systems.