Category: Misc.

The Hippocratic Oath is arguably one of the most famous oaths of ethics in our history. Originating in Ancient Greece, it centers around medical practitioners swearing, “by all gods and goddesses,” physicians will uphold various ethical standards in their medical practice. Contrary to popular belief, the oath does not actually contain the renowned phrase, “First, do no harm,” an expression that has now become synonymous with the oath itself. Dated back to the fifth and third centuries B.C., the oath is often attributed to the Greek doctor, Hippocrates, though scholars have contended that it could, instead, be a work of Read More …

The four principles of ethics discussed in Part 1 of this series are not always binding, but rather, should be applied in all circumstances unless there is a more important factor that must be considered for the greater good. While ethical codes are established as principles that a consensus of medical professionals believe in, they often do not address situations that occur on an individual basis. Two main issues in bioethics today are euthanasia and religious liberty in health care. Euthanasia There is an ethical dilemma in the choice of caring for individuals nearing the end of life for prolonged Read More …

Part 1: The Foundation of Ethics in Healthcare Determining ethical standards is a priority in any field that involves choices, experimentation, and human interaction. The healthcare industry is no exception. Medical staff aim to establish standards that encourage humane, morally-sound patient care and research. Implementing a system of ethics, or moral principles that determine what is right and wrong, is one way to regulate medical practices. However, creating one consistent ethical code across national healthcare is difficult, given that beliefs often differ across societies and cultures. So how does one determine the role of ethics in the healthcare field? Bioethics Read More …

2020 marks the 30th Anniversary of Michael Creighton’s epic novel Jurassic Park. This book directed the trajectory of my first career as a technical research specialist and my current pursuit of intellectual property licensing professional. First published in 1990, Creighton’s novel intercalated burgeoning genetic engineering techniques with science fiction to produce an intellectually stimulating tale respected by both scholars and Sci-Fi aficionados. The story’s premise: extinct dinosaurs are reintroduced into present-day existence using DNA extracted from fossilized material. Not surprising, the dinosaurs are unsuccessfully assimilated into a zoo-like habitat on a remote island[1]. While some (not me) have criticized Creighton Read More …

Creativity and inventiveness don’t stop because it’s mealtime. As many patents show, there are always problems to be solved, regardless of how big or small the issue is. In this season of Thanksgiving, we want to say thanks to the inventors and patent holders of intellectual property that has made Thanksgiving better, easier, or just more interesting… read to find out more about 6 patents that can help you have a fantastic Thanksgiving from start to finish! “Cranberry harvesting method and apparatus” Ever wondered about how cranberries move from the field to your table? If so, then U.S. Patent #5375402 Read More …

The use of wearable devices has skyrocketed over the past few years, with approximately 21% of Americans reporting regular use of a smart watch or wearable fitness tracker. Wearables are a great source of health-related data, which can even be streamed remotely in real time. Nowadays, smart wearable devices incorporate more sensors than ever – heart rate, oxygen saturation, even electrocardiograms, along with fitness and sleep information. Their potential advantages in clinical trial settings have not gone unnoticed. According to clinicaltrials.gov, there are approximately 950 trials that are using wearable devices, with over 300 of them successfully completed. However, this Read More …

Telemedicine is the use of available telecommunications technologies to diagnose and provide care to patients from a remote location. Although frequently mentioned in the news lately due to COVID-19, telemedicine is a field that has been around for more than 50 years. The need to treat patients without seeing them in person arose mostly because of people in rural areas, who were unable to travel long distances to see a doctor or go to a hospital. To solve this issue, doctors would talk to patients on the phone and even use the telegraph to send and receive medical information. Nowadays, Read More …

Experimental drugs can be a lifeline for those with conditions for which conventional treatments are not working or readily available. At the same time, doctors and patients want to have confidence that they are making safe and informed choices when requesting the use of drugs that have not have fully completed the clinical trial process.  With many doctors turning to experimental treatments for COVID-19 patients, this topic has recently gained renewed attention. Two processes in particular: compassionate use and Right to Try, give patients with serious or terminal conditions the ability to gain access to treatments which have not received Read More …

Emory has approximately 600 technologies available to license at any given time. In particular, Emory offers a variety of live science resources such as therapeutics, diagnostics, and research tools that are marketed by Emory OTT.   However, finding new technologies available at a university can be time-consuming and potentially frustrating for startups and established companies alike. Below are simple ways to find and remain up-to-date with technologies coming from Emory University. Subscribe to TechFeed to receive email notifications about products: TechFeed is a notification system where users can sign up to receive emails about recently added technologies. It can be individually Read More …