Rephonic
Artwork for Essential Ethics
Bioethics
Suffering
Pediatric Palliative Care
Moral Distress
Clinical Ethics
Patient Care
Family Dynamics
Children With Severe Neurological Impairment
Medical Ethics
Philosophy
Shared Decision Making
Pediatric Bioethics
Holistic Care
Healthcare Innovation
Healthcare Workers
Communication In Healthcare
Gene Therapy
Pediatrics
Royal Children's Hospital
Children's Bioethics

Essential Ethics, from the Children’s Bioethics Centre at The Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne, Australia) presents discussion of challenging cases that come up when treating children. Hear the most up-to-date thinking and draw knowledge from the ethics toolkit. After a decade or more of experience our team of world-recognised ethicists takes on the hardest cases. Essential Ethics is informati... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes76Founded7 years ago
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MedicineHealth & FitnessPhilosophySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Essential Ethics

Latest Episodes

In this episode of Essential Ethics, recorded at the 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference, research nurse coordinator Cat Wood from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute explores the ethical challenges of advanced therapy clinical trials... more

In this episode of Essential Ethics, recorded at the 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference, Dr Ciara Earley explores the ethical challenges that arise when parental advocacy becomes increasingly demanding. Drawing on a real-world case, she ex... more

In this episode of Essential Ethics, recorded at the 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference, nurse Elise Burn explores the impact of social media on young people living with illness. In SickTok: Adolescent Illness, Identity, Privacy and the Ro... more

In this episode of Essential Ethics, recorded at the 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference, Emeritus Professor Myra Bluebond-Langner and Professor Lynn Gillam explore the ethical importance of talking with children about serious illness and d... more

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Recent Guests

Cat Wood
Research Nurse Coordinator in Epilepsy Research at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Episode: 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: Ethics of children with rare diseases and the resulting disability participating in commercially sponsored advanced therapy clinical trials
Elise Burn
Clinical nurse consultant; speaker on SickTok and adolescent health
Children's Health Queensland
Episode: 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: SickTok - Adolescent illness identity, privacy, and the role of the clinician
Myra Bluebond-Langner
Emeritus Professor, medical anthropologist; pediatric palliative care advocate
Rutgers University / University College London Institute of Child Health
Episode: 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: Talking with children about illness and dying
Rosalind McDougall
Keynote speaker; Centre for Health Equity, University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne / Austin Health
Episode: 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: How can we make better ethical decisions in practice?
John McMillan
Professor of Bioethics, Otago University
University of Otago, New Zealand
Episode: 2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: Socrates in the clinic
Dr. Georgina Morley
Nurse ethicist from the Centre for Bioethics at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
Cleveland Clinic
Episode: 2024 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: Disentangling perspectives
Tyler Tate
Clinical associate professor, palliative care physician at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital and expert in bioethics.
Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University
Episode: How should we conceptualise suffering in children's healthcare?
Dr. Georgina Hall
Clinical ethicist at the Children's Bioethics Centre.
Children's Bioethics Centre
Episode: How should we conceptualise suffering in children's healthcare?
Ian Kerridge
A leading clinical ethicist, haematologist, and specialist in bone marrow transplantation.
Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney
Episode: 2023 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: Hope, Humility and Innovation

Host

Professor John Massie
A clinician and bioethicist with extensive experience in pediatric ethics and a leading figure in discussions surrounding ethical decision-making in pediatric healthcare.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 50 ratings
  • Brilliant!

    Careful and considered ethical analysis from some of the best clinicians at RCH Melbourne. John Massie is a perspicacious and magnanimous facilitator with infectious curiosity.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    hlid81
    Australia6 years ago
  • This is a great episode, not least because it's shorter than the other ones in the series. It would be good to see this be the mode in episodes without a second clinical voice

    Podcast Addict
    4
    ecm
    6 years ago
  • Critical decision making so beautifully explained.

    Fantastic insight in how critical decisions are made in the medical field. So relevant to what the world is going through. Loved your pandemic episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MW6227
    United States6 years ago
  • Exellent listen!

    I am so glad I found this podcast. Really interesting topics, and so far the content has been eye opening (and got me thinking too). Looking forward to future episodes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Christina @cjcanters
    Australia7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback reflects appreciation for the relevance of topics, especially regarding critical decision-making processes in healthcare contexts.
Audience members express gratitude for thought-provoking content that challenges their thinking and broadens understanding of pediatric ethics.
Listeners praise the insightful discussions led by well-respected clinicians and ethicists, highlighting the quality of ethical analysis.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: Talking with children about illness and dying
Q: What about the worry about doing harm to a child by disclosing, and is it a well-founded concern?
The discussion reframes harm as potential damage to ongoing relationships and the child's ability to engage with care, suggesting that disclosure, when done thoughtfully and case by case, can protect those relationships and support the child's care.
2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference⁠: “The Squeaky Wheel,” an ethical approach to finding the balance between addressing parental concerns and managing excessive demands
Q: How do you ensure equity for all patients while acknowledging the pre-existing injustices some families face?
A graded, responsive approach is recommended, looking at underlying reasons for parental behavior and implementing boundaries early, while recognizing that some families come from disadvantaged backgrounds that require thoughtful, proportionate responses.
2025 National Paediatric Bioethics Conference: Ethics of children with rare diseases and the resulting disability participating in commercially sponsored advanced therapy clinical trials
Q: Would you consider in keeping this child in this trial, or would you consider that they may not be appropriate for this trial?
The team weighs ongoing safety and distress, and may withdraw or modify procedures to minimize harm while still aiming to gather meaningful safety data, recognizing the trial's burden may exceed benefit for some children.
How should we conceptualise suffering in children's healthcare?
Q: What has brought you to your interest in suffering?
Tyler shares his lifelong interest stemming from personal experiences and beliefs, particularly encountering the complexities of suffering during his pediatric residency.
Moral distress
Q: Jess, so I introduced you as an expert, and I think that's because with your ethical antennas and sensitivities to what's going on around you, I imagine you've experienced moral distress yourself as well as witnessing it in others. Have you got some examples of moral distress?
Yes, I see complex admissions where the bedside nurse is not involved in family meetings, children's suffering without proper pain relief due to parental refusal, and performing invasive procedures on children who want to be at home, all of which leads to moral distress.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Essential Ethics

What is Essential Ethics about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content focuses on the ethical challenges and complexities surrounding pediatric healthcare, particularly when addressing severe neurological impairments and the sometimes heart-wrenching decisions involved in care. Discussions typically feature experts who provide holistic perspectives that advocate for the child's dignity and family involvement. Noteworthy topics include shared decision-making, moral distress, and the intersection of ethics in various medical contexts, making this content essential for professionals in healthcare who must navigate difficult moral landscapes. The format encourages meaningful dialogue that marries clinical practice with ethical principles, appealing to a range of insightful listeners.

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How many listeners does Essential Ethics get?

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Which podcasts are similar to Essential Ethics?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Essential Ethics:

1. Making Sense with Sam Harris
2. Hard Fork
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. Philosopher's Zone
5. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

How many episodes of Essential Ethics are there?

Essential Ethics launched 7 years ago and published 76 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Essential Ethics?

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What guests have appeared on Essential Ethics?

Recent guests on Essential Ethics include:

1. Cat Wood
2. Elise Burn
3. Myra Bluebond-Langner
4. Rosalind McDougall
5. John McMillan
6. Dr. Georgina Morley
7. Tyler Tate
8. Dr. Georgina Hall

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