Category Archives: research

Exec. Director of American Humanist Assoc. Echoes Compassion and Choices’ Exploitation of Elderly Homicide/Suicides

American Humanist Association, assisted suicide, Compassion & Choices, Donna J Cohen, exploitation, Homicide / 'Mercy Killing', Our News & Commentary Blog, research

Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association, published an essay today – April 16 – on Huffington Post.  His essay uses the tragedies of elderly suicide/homicides to build a case of assisted suicide, a tactic which will be familiar to readers of this blog.  Here’s an excerpt from his essay, titled “Getting the … Continue reading Exec. Director of American Humanist Assoc. Echoes Compassion and Choices’ Exploitation of Elderly Homicide/Suicides →

Pennsylvania: Another Reporter Takes a Deeper Look at Elderly Homicide-Suicides

media coverage, mercy killing, Our News & Commentary Blog, Pennsylvania, research, suicide-homicide

Last September, this blog discussed an article from a Pennsylvania newspaper that took a thoughtful, in-depth look at the tragically growing trend of elderly homicide/suicides.  When that story was written, there had been three such cases in the state since June of that year. The number is now up to at least 6 in the … Continue reading Pennsylvania: Another Reporter Takes a Deeper Look at Elderly Homicide-Suicides →

RESEARCH – Study finds that antisocial personality traits linked to embracing utilitarian ethics – (like those promoted by Peter Singer)

bioethics, moral reasoning, Our News & Commentary Blog, Peter Singer, psychopaths, research, Utilitarianism

I suspect most readers of this blog are familiar with Peter Singer – mostly through his views on infanticide and euthanasia.  Many others are already familiar with his book Animal Liberation – a book that served as the first inspiration for many who are now in the animal rights movement. Singer’s worldview – and the … Continue reading RESEARCH – Study finds that antisocial personality traits linked to embracing utilitarian ethics – (like those promoted by Peter Singer) →

Study: Treatment Withdrawal & Death for Patients with Severe Brain Injury Vary By Hospital

"miracles", brain injury, Canada, coma, medical decisionmaking, organ donation, Our News & Commentary Blog, recovery, research, rush to judgment, thaddeus pope

Once again, an item featured on Thaddeus Pope‘s Medical Futility Blog turned out to be something that I wanted to explore in greater detail than the brief blurb given on his blog, in his September 10th post, Hospitals Vary in How Quickly LST Is Stopped: In “Mortality associated with withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy for patients … Continue reading Study: Treatment Withdrawal & Death for Patients with Severe Brain Injury Vary By Hospital →

Netherlands: One-third of Doctors Willing to Euthanize Patients with Early Dementia

dementia, euthanasia, media coverage, media issues, Netherlands, Our News & Commentary Blog, reality check, research

Dutch media are framing the latest survey of medical professionals somewhat differently than I have in the headline here.  Radio Netherlands titles their story “Dutch doctors wary of euthanasia for dementia,” while DutchNews.nl features the title “Doctors reluctant to help patients with dementia die.” Both news entitities take pains to minimize the percentage of doctors … Continue reading Netherlands: One-third of Doctors Willing to Euthanize Patients with Early Dementia →