All posts by Stephen Drake

Bill Peace’s Hastings Center Article (on a disturbing hospital experience) and Three Commentaries Are All Online

"end of life", bioethics, devaluation, life-ending decisions, medical bigotry, medical discrimination, Our News & Commentary Blog, palliative care, rush to judgment, william peace

As of today, Bill Peace’s essay “Comfort Care as Denial of Personhood” is online – and accompanied by three commentaries available at the Hasting Center Bioethics Blog. Here’s what we wrote before about the experience at the center of Bill’s essay: Back in 2010, our friend, colleague and ally Bill Peace, experienced a long, expensive … Continue reading Bill Peace’s Hastings Center Article (on a disturbing hospital experience) and Three Commentaries Are All Online →

Coleman and Drake in Hastings Center ‘Bioethics Forum’ – Bill Peace, Bioethics, and Being Pushed to Choose Death

"end of life", better dead than disabled, bill peace, bioethics, Hastings Center, medical discrimination, Our News & Commentary Blog

Back in 2010, our friend, colleague and ally Bill Peace, experienced a long, expensive health crisis when he experienced a stage IV skin breakdown – with a long treatment process that was physically and emotionally grueling by his own accounts. While Bill was hospitalized – and at one of his lowest points healthwise – he … Continue reading Coleman and Drake in Hastings Center ‘Bioethics Forum’ – Bill Peace, Bioethics, and Being Pushed to Choose Death →

Montreal Gazette: NDY Board Chair Amy Hasbrouck Responds to BC Supreme Court Endorsement of Assisted Suicide in Op-Ed

Amy Hasbrouck, assisted suicide, Canada, court decisions, discrimination, op-ed, Our News & Commentary Blog

Today, July 10, the Montreal Gazette published an op-ed by Not Dead Yet board chair Amy Hasbrouck.  This op-ed is a response to the British Columbia Supreme Court decision that created a broad ‘right’ to suicide assistance.  See below for a link to this excellent essay, along with an excerpt: How about the right to … Continue reading Montreal Gazette: NDY Board Chair Amy Hasbrouck Responds to BC Supreme Court Endorsement of Assisted Suicide in Op-Ed →

CNN: ‘Second Thoughts’ Dir. John Kelly Takes on Final Exit Network and Tony Nicklinson

"death with dignity", euthanasia, final exit network, john kelly, Our News & Commentary Blog, Second Thoughts

One sign of the skewed nature of media coverage and the times we live in is how little time and attention are given to the very real life-and-death situations facing people in the UK in the face of draconian shredding of the social safety net for disabled people.  Some of that shredding is already done … Continue reading CNN: ‘Second Thoughts’ Dir. John Kelly Takes on Final Exit Network and Tony Nicklinson →

Joseph Fins, Expert on Consciousness, Calls for Temperance re: Organ Solicitation and Severe Brain Injury

brain injury, coma, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, vegetative state, , ,

It’s become fairly clear over the past few years that two trends in medicine are in conflict, albeit mostly under the radar.  On one hand, several promising research and clinical developments have given reason to be cautiously optimistic about the recovery potential of at least some people with significant brain damage, and has led to … Continue reading Joseph Fins, Expert on Consciousness, Calls for Temperance re: Organ Solicitation and Severe Brain Injury →