February 24, 2007
The NHS is continuing to disintegrate. Now, it is intentionally delaying surgery as a way of husbanding resources. From the story in the Telegraph: ‘Minimum waiting times’ have been imposed by at least 43 per cent of Acute NHS Trusts, … Read More
February 24, 2007
“Lawmakers at Statehouse Open Debate on Death with Dignity,” screamed the headline in the Rutland Herald. The term “death with dignity” isn’t even put in quotes. No bias there. And note the story: MONTPELIER–As so often happens on difficult, emotional … Read More
February 24, 2007
I am sure many of you saw the story that Dr. Catherine Verfaillie’s study–indicating that a type of bone marrow stem cell might be pluripotent–had flaws. (Can’t you hear “the scientists” cheering?) The flaws were not in the conclusion of … Read More
February 23, 2007
Nature (no link) says so: Meanwhile, the main debate [over human cloning] still focuses on making cloned embryos for research. 1997 was just three years after the Washington Post declared that it would be ‘unconscionable’ to create embryos for research; … Read More
February 23, 2007
Having just allowed women to risk their lives, limbs, and fecundity by selling their eggs for use in cloning, authorities are now about to open the door to genetic engineering. No one should be surprised. Brave New Britain is merely … Read More
February 23, 2007
In today’s NRO, Richard Doerflinger, who acts as the hub of the wheel for forces opposing human cloning, weighed in about Iowa’s pro cloning vote (and the AP’s bad reporting about it), demonstrating in his usual rapier fashion how it … Read More
February 23, 2007
Score another big victory for Big Biotech’s disingenuous and obfuscating propaganda campaign in favor of human cloning. Iowa has revoked its complete ban in order to permit research into SCNT in the state. And, as happened in Missouri, California, and … Read More
February 22, 2007
Under California’s A.B. 374, nursing homes, hospices, group homes, rehabilitation centers, and other facilities (except acute care hospitals) cannot prevent assisted suicide from taking place in their facilities. This would include those with religious objections, since only acute care hospitals … Read More
February 22, 2007
I have started to dig into California’s A.B. 374 and it is the usual smoke and mirrors beloved of assisted suicide advocates. For example, I am sure we will hear about the safeguards against the mentally ill from being assisted … Read More
February 21, 2007
Rita Marker, the head of the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide was my mentor, after dragging me kicking and screaming getting into this line of work. Having read her wonderful Deadly Compassion, I was shocked to my … Read More
February 20, 2007
Disability rights groups and others have met with the AMA in an attempt to prevent “Ashley’s Treatment” from becoming an acceptable practice in cases of children with profound disabilities. This is an important issue. Before another child is given what … Read More
February 20, 2007
A baby has been born at one day less than 22 weeks gestation, has survived, and is doing well. This birth may have significant ramifications for abortion law because it reduces the time of viability to just over half a … Read More
February 19, 2007
Scientists keep looking for ways to obtain ES cells without destroying embryos. One potential source that some are now discussing is from the process known as parthenogenesis. This process stimulates an egg (which has 46 chromosomes before losing half during … Read More
February 18, 2007
India has discovered grisly evidence of what happens when eugenics consciousness takes hold. In this case (as in China), it is a belief that boys are better than girls. As a consequence, female infanticide and abortion based on sex is … Read More
February 17, 2007
As I just posted, the UK will permit poor women to be exploited by selling their eggs–all in the name of promoting the great god science, of course. Inconveniently, a study just was just published illustrating the pronounced risks that … Read More
February 17, 2007
The UK Human Fertility and Embryology Authority, which has become a rubber stamp for Big Biotech, has approved paying women to sell their eggs for use in human cloning research. From the story: Women who go through the medical procedure … Read More
February 17, 2007
Some scientists think we have no real free will, that our behavior and beliefs are dictated by our genes. (Then, they cannot be upset with me for thinking they are just so full of beans; my genes prevent me from … Read More
February 17, 2007
This correspondence is from Texas lawyer Jerri Ward, who has proved worthy of the honorific, attorney at law for fighting tooth and tong against futile care impositions in Texas (Andrea Clarke, for example). Jerri asked that I post it here … Read More
February 17, 2007
New legislation (HB 1094) has been filed in Texas to overturn its unjust and cruel futile care law. If the law passes, rather than patients only having 10 days to find another institution if a star-chamber ethics committee rules that … Read More
February 16, 2007
As everyone knows, Viagra is used (and sometimes abused) as a treatment for impotency. It works by expanding blood vessels. Apparently, a prematurely born baby was on the verge of death and, in connection with heart surgery, some enterprising doctor … Read More
February 16, 2007
The drive to impose a new medical puritanism continues in the UK. Some doctors are apparently denying surgery to smokers and obese patients, not based on the exigencies of a their particular case, but because of disapproval of their unhealthy … Read More
February 16, 2007
The headline on this story is irresponsible because it implies that organs are being harvested before the donor is really dead. Not so. This organ procurement protocol, known as “non heart beating cadaver donor” removes organs from people who died … Read More
February 15, 2007
I was noticing a dust up between two regulars here at Secondhand Smoke regarding analogies to Germany and the Holocaust and some of the issues with which we grapple here. I thought it warranted more than a post response from … Read More
February 15, 2007
The Economist gets it. In an article on the fuss generated by assisted suicide advocates–who want to call assisted suicide anything but what it is, e.g., suicide, (a matter about which I have previously posted)–reads, in part, as follows: (No … Read More
February 15, 2007
The best selling novelist Michael Chrichton’s most recent novel, Next, pokes hard at the business of biotechnology. He has also written this op/ed piece against gene patenting, a subject we have considered from time to time here at Secondhand Smoke. … Read More
