Is it ethical for a doctor to refuse pain medication for someone with a broken foot?
As David Chan has so correctly stated the issue is FAR bigger then the one on one issue of does this patient need pain meds and are they shopping for drugsAbout a decade ago the Federal Gov. REQUIRED all of us to query all of our patients as part of our examinations about the level of their overall pain and or pain control. They required it and even went so far as to ask Medicare recipients in their after visit surveys if we did it and or how well we followed up on the mandatory questions.THAT is what triggered the Opioid crisis we have in America today. When we asked routinely about pain control and then focused our patients to being pain FREE rather then pain tolerant we set off a course of action that right now is a run away train with no potential end in sight The whole story in this question is NOT known all we can do is surmise and attempting to "know" is like corralling greased pigs it simply is impossible based on what we have to base a final determination onIn general sense however a fractured foot or bone for that matter MIGHT require some more pain meds the Tylenol but surely not likely to need Dilaudid or Morphine so the issue is what level of pain meds was the patient requesting? Also why is a simply foot fracture in an admitted state where actual nurses orders have been written?We do pretty major surgery today and send the patients packing to their home why was this patient admitted?I notice that they are routinely doing full knee replacement surgeries at 8AM and discharging the patients before the dinner meals are delivered so this case is unique in 2016In general unless a patient is absolutely opioid non-virgin or someone who needs chronic care like a cancer patient or major long term pain patient the extra concerns MUST be made as to who gets narcotics and who is given other drugs titrated until insufficient effect then shifted over to only the lowest does of narcotics to a LOWER the pain not to attempt to eliminate the painIt is VERY easy to take an otherwise normal person and convert them to an addict even with one short course of narcoticsThanks for the request to answer hope this helpsDr D
How can probation officer not allow meds prescribed by doctor?
The state in California. My GF is on probation for an offense that is not drug-related, but because she had priors (and I guess agreed to it as part of some deal) she's under jurisdiction of the "drug court." She has developed some medical issues that cause her a fairly severe amount of pain. The doctor prescribed pain killers, but her P.O. will not authorize her to use them; if she does she'll test dirty and could end up in jail. I am literally amazed (not to mention incensed) that a stupid P.O. has the authority to countermand a physician's order! So because she had a drug problem at one time, she's no longer allowed relief from pain? How can that possibly be legal, ethical, responsible or even nominally reasonable? Where do they think they get the expertise to say, "she doesn't need this, silly doctors, permission denied." It sounds to me like the probation department might even incur some liability here, pain and suffering has a price tag, and they are dictating health care practices that lie far beyond their training and expertise. They are making decisions that, by their very definition, and with explicit intent, directly result in pain that could've been avoided. Are there any related precedents? TIA
Is it ethical or even acceptable for doctors to ignore or deny the existence of some side effects of a medicine when their patients ask them about it?
I think the opposite is actually more commonly true, doctors have a tendency to over-attribute the patient's new symptoms as just side-effects of the medications they are taking instead of investigating them further promptly.Any medication can cause virtually any side-effect. Doctors typically warn patients of the common or serious side-effects. The common side-effects are well-established, large proportion of patients experience them after starting the drug and doctors usually have some grasp on how to reduce the side-effect (eg take drug at different time of the day) or how long the side-effect will likely last. Dizziness is not a common side-effect of sertraline. It is however a “frequency unknown” side-effect of SSRIs, a class of medications that sertraline belongs to. Ie. someone somewhere has felt dizzy after taking an SSRI. It is not common (as in most won't patients get it) nor something that most patients would find hugely troublesome if they get it. Because dizziness is such a non-specific symptom and not really associated with sertraline, your doctor has no way of knowing that it is definitely or even likely caused by sertraline nor know how long it will last nor what impact it will have on you. If you find the symptom intolerable you should tell your doctor that you want to stop the drug and try an alternative. You have to express it in so many words because there are a lot of patients who come in complaining of things that really, with further probing, turn out to not have any impact on their life besides mild annoyance (and some of them, unfortunately, just want a note to excuse them from work). If you find the side-effect hugely troublesome I would advice you to report the side-effect of the drug to local authorities (many countries have online forms for patients to report adverse events). You may also wish to change your doctor if you feel that your trust is broken beyond repair and discuss switching drugs with the new doctor.
Is it murder to deny a human being access to a lifesaving medication or treatment?
In a legal sense, sometimes it is. If parents deny their children lifesaving medication or treatment, and the child dies, they can be charged with murder.This happens from time-to-time. Sometimes parents ignore their children’s medical needs. Normally they are otherwise neglectful parents too. Sometimes, the parents believe in faith healing and refuse to provide medical care. Faith-Healing Parents Charged With Murder for Refusing Kids’ Medical Care — Should They Go to Prison?In both cases, the parents may be charged with murder. Though most of the time, barring intentional abuse, it will end up with something along the lines of involuntary homicide. Normally the parents did not want their children to die. So the intent of the parents in denying the care will matter.However, if you are asking in the political sense, i.e. someone is very sick, they cannot afford to pay for treatment, perhaps for cancer, and they die, no, that is not legally murder.Certainly, we could debate whether it is morally a form of murder. But I prefer to keep my answers to the legal realm.
Is it ethical to deny someone a drivers license due to mental illness?
Sure it is? How can you possibly believe it to right. There is a big difference between what is legal and what is et hical. Ethics is about what is wrong or right. So it is ok to put a person under intense stress so they lose their license. They are making to so hard for me. I have been fighting for a week now and still do not have my license. I have to be able to feed myself, cloth myself and do errands. The main point here is why take away someone's independence. I can 't get the help I need now because there are no buses close enough plus I would panic on the bus because i would not be in control. I can n ot afford a cab. This situation makes me furious. The DOR needs to consider the indiuval as well.
Should Doctors and Pharmacists Be Allowed To Deny Birth Control Medication?
Many pharmacists and doctors are refusing to prescribe or fill a prescription for Birth Control pills, because of their personal Pro Life beliefs. They operate on the presumption that preventing a possible birth is tantamount to killing a baby, even though a pregnancy might never occur with or without the medication. Since pharmacists are not supposed to intervene in a doctor's instructions unless he or she feels the patient's life would be endangered, certainly they are not supposed to be in charge of possible future generations. Doctors vow to "Do No Harm," but refuse birth control medication for women who may be worn and sick from having too many children, who may be struggling with debilitating disease or have abusive husbands. Why should doctors and pharmacists think they can play God by trying to manipulate the lives of their patients? By preventing birth, isn't that patient trying to avoid the trauma of abortion? Why should any business enterprise be allowed to manipulate a woman's behavior? If you work in a profession and you feel you cannot abide by the activities, shouldn't you change your career choice, rather than try to place your beliefs on the shoulders of your customers?
Under what circumstances a doctor can (legally) deny treatment to patient (any age)?
Yes the doctor can easily deny treatment to any patient unless it is a critical care patient simply by saying that he doesn't think himself qualified enough to treat the particular disease.A doctor cannot deny a patient from treatment based on his/her caste, color, creed, religion or political influence.How ever he can deny the treatment if:-they fear the interference of their emotions in the treatment. (in case of relatives)they do not really know how to treat them. (most common excuse)the treatment will lead to a crime or cheating or against ethics. (illegal abortion, sex determination, organ transplant)The patient is a known criminal or the injuries are criminal in nature. ( the doctor may refuse to see the patient or may inform the police)the patient can not afford the treatment and is not a threaten situation.( yes the hospitals can in fact deny you treatment if you cant pay up)if the treatment procedures are still in the experimental phases. (recent introduction of New drugs for diseases like cancer or AIDS.Lack of consent from patient party. (in case of minors their parents)When the patient refuses to follow the treatment advised by the doctor.if they approach the doctor outside his consultation timings. ( Supreme court says like every other person a doctor is also a human and needs to eat and sleep and be with family.)when a patient already under the care of one doctor approaches another for treatment.Read Doctors do not have the right to refuse treatment to HIV-positive patientsConsent and medical treatment: The legal paradigm in IndiaThe Right to Treatment and the Right to Refuse TreatmentMedical negligence: Coverage of the profession, duties, ethics, case law, and enlightened defense - A legal perspective
Is it ethical for my doctor to refuse to refill my rescue inhaler?
It is strange that they wouldn't approve a rescue inhaler, but many physicians are crazy strict about this. If they just approved medications without seeing you they would be risking all kinds of lawsuits. As far as rude medical staff...that's out of line. My daughter's doctor has terrible staff as far as rudeness goes. He's a good doctor so I keep going but they irk me every time. Last year my doctor ordered a test and his staff transcribed it wrong. When I went for the test I said "no, this isn't what he ordered." They checked the order and said it was right. I called immediately and told the office that they ordered the wrong test and they were so blatantly rude to me. They basically told me I was crazy. He called a few days later when he got back in the office and read the results and caught the mistake and then I had to go back and do the right test. The kicker? I still had to pay for the first test. I called the office and spoke to the office manager about it and she acted like I was so out of line asking to be reimbursed for an unnecessary test. I was really polite to her, even though I was angry, and she acted like I was the one causing all the problems. Unfortunately he's the only specialist in a 100 mile radius and he's good, so I put up with it. If they are treating you badly find another doctor. But you still have to keep up with your appointments :-)