Just out today, the Seattle Weekly has an in-depth article exploring the uncertainties surrounding a medical prognosis of having six-months to live and its implications for impending legislation for legalization of assisted suicide in Washington state. From the article: The law has deeply divided doctors, with some loath to help patients end their lives and […]
U.K. — This news is making the rounds of blogs and newsgroups. Two ambulance workers in the U.K. have been suspended from work and booked on charges of “neglecting to perform a duty” in a case that initially caused shock. One of the earliest news stories about the incident came out on December 31, from […]
Readers of this blog will be familiar with the depressing and alarming story of Ruben Navarro, who died hours after a botched attempt and a “controlled death” and organ harvesting. This occurred under a protocol still not used widely, but on the increase – labeled “donation by cardiac death (DCD).” This appears to be a […]
Yesterday’s post discussed the LA Times article revealing that dozens of nurses in California with criminal convictions have valid licenses to practice in the state. One expert said they were “blown away” by the information, meaning she was surprised, I guess. Turns out my suggestion that similar stories could be waiting in other states is […]
Over the weekend, an anonymous reader of this blog tipped me off to an important investigative piece published in the Los Angeles Times, in collaboration with ProPublica, ” an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.” To many readers, the following article might have been shocking: Dozens of registered nurses convicted […]
I’m back in the office for at least today. Comments are caught up on the blog. Catching up with email, an item from Monday, October 22nd caught my eye. It’s from the NY Times Health Blog. Columnist Tara Parker-Pope lays out a scenario that will be familiar to readers of this blog in “When Doctors […]
In August, the American Psychological Association (APA) made some news when it passed a resolution affirming that its members shouldn’t be involved with “Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” toward those termed “enemy combatants.” Many of us who are familiar with practices that are implicitly sanctioned by the APA took note […]
As usual, I’m a little late catching up with some of the news. Last week, Art Caplan emailed me a link to his latest column, describing a disturbing report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. As usual, when writing on this topic, he is right on target in describing the problem: A […]
This newest case of apparent death through neglect and malpractice came to my attention by way of Penny Richards at the Disability Studies blog, in “Yes, it can happen. It does happen.” Penny has some good comments on the death of Linda Sue Brown, and I urge interested people to read them. But you also […]
As many or most of you know, disability activists “on a mission from ADAPT” have landed in Chicago. Right now, 500 disability activists are making a housecall at the headquarters of the American Medical Association (AMA). The activists have a set of demands for the organization: 1. Endorse the Community Choice Act and actively promote […]
