The journal republic has a fairly large number of articles (most short though) transhumanism. Might be worth checking out!
Monthly Archives: July 2009
Dr. Diekema’s latest paper is AAP statement on withdrawing nutrition from children
Forgoing Medically Provided Nutrition and Hydration in Children
Douglas S. Diekema, MD MPH, Jeffrey R. Botkin, MD, MPH Committee on Bioethics
PEDIATRICS Vol. 124 No.2 August 2009, pp. 813-822
An excerpt from the abstract:
The American Academy of Pediatrics concludes that the withdrawal of medically administered fluids and nutrition for pediatric patients is ethically acceptable in limited circumstances. Ethics consultation is strongly recommended when particularly difficult or controversial decisions are being considered.
The Med Page Today has detailed information on this statement here. It says,
The AAP’s bioethics committee, headed by Douglas S. Diekema, MD, MPH, and Jeffrey R. Botkin, MD, developed a position statement outlining limited circumstances under which clinicians can ethically halt feeding and hydration in pediatric patients. “Medically provided fluids and nutrition may be withdrawn from a child who permanently lacks awareness and the ability to interact with the environment,” according to a statement published in the August issue of Pediatrics, the official AAP journal.
Dr. Diekema, the ethicist in charge of the Ashley case who has been trying very hard to make growth attenuation therapy into general practice, is chair of the AAP committee on Bioethics now.
Speedo Para-Swimming Championships
![paraswimming[1]](http://whatsortsofpeople.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/paraswimming11.gif?w=645 "paraswimming[1]")
The 2009 Speedo CAN-AM Para Swimming Championships are being held July 30-31, Aug 1 at the Kinsmen Sports Centre, Edmonton, AB. Heats: 9:30 am – 12 pm; Finals: 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Swimmers with a broad range of disabilities (functional, visual, and intellectual) will be attending from Canada, the United States, Australia, and Nigeria. For more information on the competition check here.
Obama to Sign Convention
This week U.S. President Barrack Obama announce plans to sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This fulfill a campaign promise that President Obama made prior to his election. Continue reading
What Would Darwin Do?
For those who have followed the Annie Farlow saga on this blog (e.g., What Sort of Death for Annie?; Deathmaking by medical neglect; Chromosomal microarray analysis, newgenics, and Annie Farlow; Annie Farlow, Sickkids, and an Ontario Human Rights Commission hearing; Charles Smith, the Toronto Hospital for Sick Kids, and the Coroner’s Office; On Justice for Annie Farlow), it may be perceived that the case comes down to Darwinian rationalism versus religious or secular humanism. It is tempting to view this and similar issues as a conflict between those who would ask “what would Jesus do?” versus those who would ask “what would Darwin do?” Continue reading
Human enhancement Study
just out
Human Enhancement Study for Directorate General for internal policies, Policy Dept. A: Economic and Scientific Policy Science and Technology Options Assessments
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/publications/studies/stoa2007-13_en.pdf
Abstract
The study attempts to bridge the gap between visions on human
enhancement (HE) and the relevant technoscientific developments. It
outlines possible strategies of how to deal with HE in a European
context, identifying a reasoned pro-enhancement approach, a
reasoned restrictive approach and a case-by-case approach as viable
options for the EU. The authors propose setting up a European body
(temporary committee or working group) for the development of a
normative framework that guides the formulation of EU policies on HE.
Disability Ethics Bibliography
As part of our Work at the Disability Ethics Project, we have just launched a new Disability Ethics Bibliography. There are currently just over 600 references with abstracts and annotations in a RefShare format that is easily searchable with downloadable results. Of course, this is only a small sampling of the relevant materials and the bibliography will continue to be a work in progress.
We welcome your help in helping us identify more of items to include. I you have additional items to suggest for the bibliography please contact us for instructions on submitting items at initativ@ualberta.ca
Physician-assisted-suicides in WA, OR, and MT
Five people have died under the new Washington physician-assisted suicide law, says an article on the American Medical News site . Two cases were referred to mental health professionals, who filed complaints. Fourteen people have requested doctors’ aid in dying so far. The article also includes the statistics of assisted suicide deaths in Oregon (60 deaths, the most in 2008) and explains the current situation of the Montana assisted suicide debate.
Links to articles on the fist case in WA
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/406483_death22.html
http://pugetsoundblogs.com/kitsap-caucus/2009/05/27/two-sides-of-the-first-assisted-suicide/
An article on the second case in WA
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009296724_websuicide03.html
