News
Minnesota playing catch-up to get seniors of color vaccinated
Local churches and community centers work together to provide COVID-19 vaccines for seniors of higher risk. Nneka Sederstrom, PhD, MPH, MA, FCCP, FCCM discusses the health equity issues that occur when speed is prioritized over other…
Minnesota hospitals start outreach to improve COVID-19 vaccine equity
Some Minnesota health care systems have begun COVID-19 vaccination outreach programs to communities that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. Nneka Sederstrom, PhD, MPH, MA, FCCP, FCCM comments on the inequity at play when we …
Minnesota falling behind in equitable allocation of COVID-19 vaccine
Minnesota has strayed from its commitment to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to communities that are among the highest risk for severe disease and death, according to three members of the state's vaccine allocation advisory panel […
For those with underlying health conditions, getting a COVID vaccine remains elusive
As Minnesota receives more shots and expands vaccine access, many people with underlying health conditions that may put them at higher risk of getting a severe case of COVID-19 are wondering when it will be their turn to get one of these…
Can a common antidepressant help in the fight against COVID-19?
A psychiatrist recently saw research suggesting that an antidepressant called fluvoxamine was useful in treating sepsis. Might fluvoxamine also be effective in treating COVID-19? Leigh Turner, PhD comments on necessity of clinical trials…
Editorial Counterpoint: Speed should not overrun ethics in vaccine rollout
In response to the Star Tribune's Editorial "Minnesota puts the heat on vaccine providers", the Center for Bioethics' pandemic ethics expert Debra DeBruin, PhD wrote:
Biden’s ambitious COVID plan: what scientists think
Rachel Hardeman, PhD, MPH was one of many researchers who weighed in on Biden's task of increasing America's access to healthcare
COVID racial disparities worse than thought
Minnesotans of color are found to be dying from COVID about two and half times more than white Minnesotans. Rachel Hardeman, PhD, MPH comments on how COVID has exacerbated racial injustice in health care.
The U.S. Is Changing How States Will Get COVID-19 Vaccines
Joel Wu, JD, MPH, MA, HEC-C, Clinical Ethics Adjunct professor comments on compromising utility and fairness in vaccine allocation.
Ethics Support During COVID-19: The Minnesota COVID Ethics Collaborative
The Minnesota Medical Association's magazine "Minnesota Medicine" recently published a primer on the Minnesota COVID-19 Ethics Collaborative (MCEC) written by the initiative's co-leaders Debra DeBruin, PhD, Center for Bioethics director…