Category Archives: quality of life judgments

Matt Valliere On the Many Harms of Medical Quality of Life Judgments

"death with dignity", ableism, assisted suicide, better dead than disabled, COVID-19, healthcare rationing, lifeboat ethics, Matt Valliere, Me Before You, medical discrimination, Michael Hickson, million dollar baby, Newsweek, op-ed, Our News & Commentary Blog, Patients Rights Action Fund, qaly, Quality Adjusted Life Years, quality of life judgments, treatment withdrawal, , , ,

On November 2, Newsweek published an excellent op-ed by Matt Valliere, Executive Director of the Patients Rights Action Fund (PRAF), entitled The Brutal, Tragic, Consequences of Quality of Life Judgements. Though PRAF’s mission is focused on opposing assisted suicide laws, the op-ed does an uncommonly good job discussing other discriminatory and harmful medical practices that … Continue reading Matt Valliere On the Many Harms of Medical Quality of Life Judgments →

Carol Cleigh Sutton: Ableism Is Violence

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Listening to the other presenters, many of whom  mentioned ableism, but most especially to the names being read – for more than an hour – during the Disability Day of Mourning, something I’ve known for years snapped into focus and demanded to be written: Ableism is Violence. The problem is Abled Chauvinism. Like men vis … Continue reading Carol Cleigh Sutton: Ableism Is Violence →

Wrongful Death & Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Filed In Michael Hickson Case

brain injury, court cases, COVID-19, Do-Not-Resuscitate, Feeding Tubes, futility, Health care decision-making, health disparities, healthcare rationing, life-ending decisions, medical discrimination, Michael Hickson, Our News & Commentary Blog, quality of life judgments, surrogate decision making, treatment withdrawal, wrongful death, , , ,

June 11, 2021 By: Andrés J. Gallegos, Jennifer M. Sender ROBBINS, SALOMON & PATT, LTD. SEEKS JUSTICE FOR MICHAEL HICKSON, FILES WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST ST. DAVID’S SOUTH AUSTIN MEDICAL CENTER & ITS PHYSICIANS Robbins, Salomon & Patt, Ltd. (RSP) on June 10, 2021, filed a multi-count wrongful death lawsuit against St. David’s South Austin Medical Center … Continue reading Wrongful Death & Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Filed In Michael Hickson Case →

NDY Joins Over 80 Groups Opposing “Quality Adjusted Life Years” Measures

AAPD, health disparities, healthcare rationing, medical discrimination, Our News & Commentary Blog, qaly, Quality Adjusted Life Years, quality of life judgments

The American Association of People with Disabilities issued the following press release announcing the more than 80 organizations that signed a letter calling on policymakers to reject health policies that discriminate. NDY’s President/CEO was quoted in the release below. The letter is in pdf and text formats, here and here, respectively. Advocates for People with Disabilities, … Continue reading NDY Joins Over 80 Groups Opposing “Quality Adjusted Life Years” Measures →

Joan Cavanagh: State needs health care, not “death with dignity”

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[Published in the CTPost on April 1, 2021, and New Haven Register April 3.] State needs health care, not “death with dignity” Joan Cavanagh Apr 1, 2021 Anyone who has been with loved ones facing serious, painful illness will empathize deeply with the testimonies in Ed Stannard’s Sunday, March 21 article. I have. And I … Continue reading Joan Cavanagh: State needs health care, not “death with dignity” →