*new* 4Feb15 HC
NYTimes: A Path for Precision Medicine
The budget President Obama sent to Congress would
establish a coordinated way for researchers to get genetic and clinical data on
a million people.
*new* PAS 4Feb15
NYTimes: Lawsuit Seeks to Legalize Doctor-Assisted Suicide for Terminally Ill Patients in NY
Under New York State law, any doctor who helps a
terminally ill patient die by providing a fatal dose of medication can be
prosecuted under the manslaughter statute.
*new* Vaccines 4Feb15
NYTimes: Spreading Along With Measles: Polarization on a Hot-Button Issue
Extensive news coverage has helped fuel a backlash
against the anti-vaccine movement that is likely to be counterproductive.
*new* Genetic Engineering 4Feb15
NYTimes: Britain Set to Approve Technique to Create Babies From 3 People
*new* Genetic Engineering 4Feb15
NYTimes: Britain Set to Approve Technique to Create Babies From 3 People
The House of Commons voted to allow the in vitro creation
of embryos using the DNA of three people, a procedure that could prevent the
inheritance of genetic diseases.
20Jan Belgium's euthanasia law gives terminally ill children the right to die | PBS NewsHour
New law in Belgium allows terminally ill children the right to die
Q: do you think it is morally acceptable to allow dying children the right to assisted suicide?
20Jan Belgium's euthanasia law gives terminally ill children the right to die | PBS NewsHour
New law in Belgium allows terminally ill children the right to die
Q: do you think it is morally acceptable to allow dying children the right to assisted suicide?
Story about a 17 year old who doesn't want to have chemotherapy
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/01/08/375659085/can-connecticut-force-a-teenage-girl-to-undergo-chemotherapy
Q: what do you think should happen?
Q1. This is a very tough question to answer. It's impossible to put an umbrella-like answer over such different circumstances. "Morally acceptable?" -- I believe that the pain and suffering that many people go through (whether 4 years old or 84 years old) is indescribable and not something that many of us can relate to. I believe that anyone has the right to die, if that's really what they want. But when does age come in to play? When does a 6 year old get to make that decision, but a 6 month old who cannot talk yet have to suffer until they can speak? Should their parent make that decision for them? There is not a simple answer, as it is not a simple question. I believe that how we die isn't always our choice, but if some can be given the chance to choose how they leave, then I would deem that "morally acceptable" not matter what their age is.
ReplyDeleteQ2. I believe that the reason this story is so "on-the-fence" is because the girl is 17 years old, and is only 8 months away from turning 18. The amount of maturity that she could obtain over an 8-month span is basically what's being questioned here. In Connecticut, she is not able to make her own medical decisions until she's 18, unless the courts rule her as mature enough... but how do you measure that exactly? I think whatever choice she makes for herself now will most likely be what choice she would make when she's 18. It's not like we are comparing a girl's maturity who is 8 or even 14, to her future maturity at 18. Chemotherapy is a terribly rough process on the body and to many of us, it's a very scary thing. If she chooses to refuse treatment, then let that be her decision and stop publicizing it.
NY Times Vaccine Article
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I am surprised that the media attention on vaccines may be having a negative effect. I never stepped back and looked at this whole thing before so it never occurred to me that "fighting" the anti-vaxers could just make it worse. But then that brings up the question, how do you fight ignorance??? I feel the article did a great job at attempting to answer this and that is to change the focus of the media's attention to the popularity of vaccinations and not fighting the anti-vaxers but rather informing them. There is so little science to back up the claims of the anti-vaxers but there is so much psychology at play here. My hope is that this gets resolved sooner than later and we finally do eradicate these viruses/illnesses. The tragic thing is, this seems more like a fever dream now than it ever has...
Also, as a nation can we just tell Chris Christie to shut up and stop doing stuff. I am legitimately shocked by how much he has been in the recent media and I am equally shocked by just how dumb he is and how much power he seems to have...