NEUROETHICS

Stimulating debate: ethics in a multidisciplinary functional neurosurgery committee

Paul J Ford¹ and Cynthia S Kubu²

¹ Department of Bioethics, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation; CCF Lerner College of Medicine of CWRU
² Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, USA

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Paul J Ford
PhD, Department of Bioethics/JJ60, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; fordp{at}ccf.org

Multidisciplinary healthcare committees meet regularly to discuss patients’ candidacy for emerging functional neurosurgical procedures, such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Through debate and discussion around the surgical candidacy of particular patients, functional neurosurgery programs begin to mold practice and policy supported both by scientific evidence and clear value choices. These neurosurgical decisions have special considerations not found in non-neurologic committees. The professional time used to resolve these conflicts provides opportunities for the emergence of careful, ethical practices simultaneous with the expansion of therapy applications

Abbreviations: DBS, Deep Brian Simulation

Keywords: Deep Brain Stimulation; informed consent; innovation; neuroethics; Patient Care Committee

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