Oncologist preferences for health States associated with the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer - (interview with 34 oncologists) - abstract

Objective:
"To explore oncologists' preferences for hypothetical outcome scenarios (i.e. health states) resulting from various treatment options."
Conclusions:
"These data suggest that oncologists may choose treatments that maximize clinical efficacy only when not associated with severe toxicities or low emotional well-being unless associated with a large improvement in efficacy. Physicians may prefer a more toxic chemotherapy regimen that improves survival, and are more willing to compromise emotional well-being for a large survival advantage in the setting of newly diagnosed disease. Slight improvements in clinical efficacy may not be acceptable to oncologists unless associated with higher emotional well-being for the patient."

Public Perceptions of Ethical Issues Regarding Adult Predictive Genetic Testing

"Audience members emphasized public education and access to information regarding potential choices, which was different from the emphasis on informed consent and other ethical issues prominent in the literature. Members of the general public emphasized ethical issues that were different than those identified by experts and patients. It is essential that members of the public be included in complex and controversial public policy decisions."