Is It OK to Ask Patients for Their Plasma?

Is it unethical?

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story August 22, 2020 Illustration by Tomi Um   The Ethicist Is It OK to Ask Patients for Their Plasma? The magazine’s Ethicist columnist on whether to use patient data to solicit antibody donation from members of a community disproportionately affected by Covid-19 — and more. By Kwame Anthony Appiah A friend, who works for a hospital system as an administrative nurse, has been tasked with cold-calling patients who tested positive for the coronavirus to ask if they would donate their plasma to help critically ill patients. Many of these patients are people of color, live in households where several people are infected, are part of a local immigrant community and may have limited insurance coverage and be dependent on public assistance. Is it unethical to use private information to solicit help from individuals who already suffer disproportionately? Read the Ethicist’s response here. THIS WEEK’S MAGAZINE Kevin Cooley for The New York Times   Feature How U.S. Policy Turned the Sonoran Desert Into a Graveyard for Migrants Roberto Primero Luis set out across the U.S.-Mexico border last year as previous Guatemalan migrants had. But the crossing has changed. By James Verini Illustration by Tomer Hanuka   Inside the Boogaloo: America's Extremely Online Extremists It started as an internet meme. Then waves of political unrest gave adherents of the Boogaloo a chance to test their theories about the collapse of American society — with violent results. By Leah Sottile Levon Biss for The New York Times   Feature How Two British Orthodontists Became Celebrities to Incels The Mews, a father-son team of orthodontists, have an unusual theory about the source of crooked teeth — one that has earned them a following in some of the darker corners of the internet. By William Brennan Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MORE FROM THE MAGAZINE Illustration by Ori Toor   Studies Show What if We Worried Less About the Accuracy of Coronavirus Tests? Regularly using the most accurate tests possible for millions of Americans is impractical. Could a shift in approach slow the spread of infections? By Kim Tingley Heami Lee for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Rebecca Bartoshesky.   Eat Sabudana Khichdi Is Your New Favorite Comfort Food Perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, this savory tapioca pilaf has a secret ingredient you’d never expect: a microwave. By Samin Nosrat Photo illustration by Chris Burnett   Screenland The Axios Interview Showed Us an Important Threshold for the President Jonathan Swan confronted Donald Trump with unwelcome facts and revealed what he is willing to acknowledge as true. By Mattathias Schwartz Illustration by Radio   Tip How to Suture a Wound You can use thread, dental floss, even the hair from a horse’s tail. Be sure your needle is in the shape of an arc. By Malia Wollan Trent Davis Bailey for The New York Times   Letter Of Recommendation Mountain Time Is the Best Time Zone in America Not that it needs to prove anything. By Kyle Paoletta Stay in touch: Follow us on Twitter (@NYTmag) or check us out on Instagram. Appreciated this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter. Listen to narrated versions of our articles every week. Download Audm for iPhone or Android. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The New York Times Magazine from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018