Baylor College of Medicine Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy

Hemorrhoids are common, but confusion about symptoms, treatment options, and when to seek care is just as widespread.

In our newest blog, Dr. Waqar Qureshi discusses the American Gastroenterological Association's first expert review on hemorrhoids, offering practical guidance on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

From increasing fiber intake to understanding when office-based procedures may be appropriate, the piece provides an accessible roadmap for patients and clinicians alike.

📖 Read the full blog: https://blogs.bcm.edu/2026/05/22/your-hemorrhoid-playbook-the-agas-first-expert-review/

Your hemorrhoid playbook: The AGA’s first expert review A closer look at the first guideline for how to diagnose and treat hemorrhoids.

Maternal mortality review committees help uncover why pregnancy-related deaths occur and identify opportunities to prevent them.

In a recent essay published in Ms. Magazine, Dr. Faith Fletcher and colleagues examine what could be at stake as Texas considers whether to reauthorize its maternal mortality review committee through the Sunset review process.

The piece warns that losing this critical tool could leave the state with fewer answers, and fewer opportunities to save lives.

📖 Read the full essay: https://msmagazine.com/2026/06/11/texas-maternal-mortality-review-committee/

Texas May Eliminate a Critical Tool for Preventing Maternal Deaths As Texas reviews the future of its Maternal Mortality Review Committee, researchers warn that failing to reauthorize the panel would leave the state with fewer answers—and fewer opportunities to save lives.

As newborn sequencing research continues to expand, ensuring that studies reflect the needs and perspectives of diverse communities remains an important challenge.

In a new publication, Stacey Pereira, Ph.D., and colleagues explore insights from parents in underrepresented communities and discuss approaches to designing more inclusive newborn sequencing research.

📖 Read the publication: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12920-026-02307-8

Designing inclusive newborn sequencing research: insights from parents in underrepresented communities - BMC Medical Genomics Background It is essential that studies of genomic sequencing (GS) in newborns and children include individuals from under-represented racial and ethnic groups (URG) to ensure future applications are equitably implemented. We conducted interviews with parents from URG to better understand their pers...

AI-enabled medical devices are becoming increasingly common in health care, but children are often left out of the development, testing, and approval process.

In our newest blog, Dr. R. Brandon Hunter, Dr. Kolaleh Eskandanian, and Dr. Chester J. Koh discuss the growing gap in pediatric AI medical devices and the challenges of applying technologies designed primarily for adults to younger patients.

As AI continues to reshape medicine, their piece highlights why pediatric-specific research, oversight, and innovation are essential.

📖 Read the full blog: https://blogs.bcm.edu/2026/05/15/beyond-the-label-closing-the-gap-in-ai-medical-devices-for-children/

Beyond the label – Closing the gap in AI medical devices for children - Baylor College of Medicine Blog Network What do we do about a system where the applicability and safety profile of AI devices for pediatric care are unknown

As human space exploration advances, so do the ethical questions surrounding research participation beyond Earth.

In a new publication, Dr. Vasiliki Rahimzadeh and colleagues explore the unique challenges of obtaining informed consent during space missions, where isolation, risk, and operational constraints may complicate traditional research ethics frameworks.

📖 Read the publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bioe.70088

Informed Consent for Research Participation During Space Exploration: Ethical Issues While informed consent is widely recognized as a cornerstone of ethical research with human participants, applying this principle to space exploration research creates some unique challenges and dile...

Hemorrhoids affect millions of people, yet patients often face confusion, misinformation, and uncertainty about treatment options.

In our newest blog, Dr. Waqar Qureshi explores the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)’s first expert review on hemorrhoids and highlights key recommendations for diagnosis, management, and patient care.

The piece also examines how clearer clinical guidance can help improve communication and decision-making between patients and providers.

📖 Read the full blog:
https://blogs.bcm.edu/2026/05/22/your-hemorrhoid-playbook-the-agas-first-expert-review/

Your hemorrhoid playbook: The AGA’s first expert review A closer look at the first guideline for how to diagnose and treat hemorrhoids.

Congratulations to the 2026 Medical Ethics and Health Policy Pathways graduates! 🎓

Today we celebrated the hard work, dedication, and passion of this incredible group during the Pathways Reception and Certificate Ceremony. Wishing all of our graduates continued success as they move forward in medicine, ethics, health policy, and beyond. Thank you to the faculty, mentors, families, and friends who helped support them along the way!

Endometriosis affects millions of people, yet diagnosis is frequently delayed and patients are often redirected between providers without clear answers.

In a new publication, Center faculty, staff and former trainees explore the concept of “diagnostic buck-passing” in endometriosis care and the structural and clinical barriers that contribute to these experiences.

📖 Read the publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.70142

Anything but Endo: Diagnostic Buck‐Passing in Endometriosis Diagnosis People living with endometriosis, a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body, often experience prolonged diagnostic journeys because of symptom variabil...

AI medical devices are changing health care, but children are often left out of the conversation.

In our newest blog, Dr. R. Brandon Hunter, Dr. Kolaleh Eskandanian and Dr. Chester J. Koh examine the growing gap in pediatric AI medical devices and the ethical, regulatory, and clinical challenges that come with adapting technologies designed primarily for adults.

Their piece explores why pediatric-specific considerations matter and what is needed to ensure children benefit safely and effectively from advances in AI-driven care.

📖 Read the full blog:
https://blogs.bcm.edu/2026/05/15/beyond-the-label-closing-the-gap-in-ai-medical-devices-for-children/

Beyond the label – Closing the gap in AI medical devices for children - Baylor College of Medicine Blog Network What do we do about a system where the applicability and safety profile of AI devices for pediatric care are unknown

Center faculty and staff published the peer commentary “Pregnancy Exceptionalism in End-of-Life Care: Ethical Challenges and the Need for Updated Guidance” in The American Journal of Bioethics.

Read the publication:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15265161.2025.2601692

Pregnancy Exceptionalism in End-of-Life Care: Ethical Challenges and the Need for Updated Guidance Published in The American Journal of Bioethics (Vol. 26, No. 1, 2026)