Physicians and P-AS: Some Things Just Don’t Go Together

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In January, Oregon released their data from 2010 regarding the so-called “Death with Dignity Act.”   The number of people opting for “physician-assisted suicide” (P-AS) has steadily increased since its inception in 1998.  That year, twenty-three persons asked for and received prescriptions for life-ending medications.  Fifteen of those died from the lethal dose of medication; six died from their illnesses, and two survived at least into 1999.  Last year, a total of 65 people died through P-AS in Oregon.  At least, that was the report as of 7 January 2011.  The data set ...read more

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New Year, New Dates; Not-so-New Challenges

Blog, Born Human, Resource Room / /

Unlike people, all dates are not “created equal.”   My young nephew who was born on September 11th is learning by association that actions have consequences.  On the January date a friend of mine blows out his birthday candles, our nation will mark a wedge that has divided us for nearly four decades.  Since the Roe v. Wade decision on January 22, 1973, approximately 52 million embryos and fetuses have been “chosen” not to be born.  Our nation alone has aborted 52 million future citizens.

In some macabre way it seems fitting that abortion is in the news this week, although the ...read more

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Senate Stem Cell Sell (September 2010)

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The Stem Cell debate has recently taken some unexpected twists and turns.  I have watched and re-watched several portions of the webcast of a Labor-HHS Senate Subcommittee hearing on stem cells this month, because I wanted to make sure I understood correctly what was said.  Reflections on that hearing conclude this article; please read them.  You will probably be surprised.  First, though, it will be helpful to remember how we got to this place.  Here’s a brief synopsis:

1981 — Scientists derive embryonic stem cells from mouse embryos

1998 — Human embryonic stem cells are grown in the ...read more

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What Price Is a Human Being Worth?

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D. Joy Riley, M.D., M.A.

Executive Director

Look around at those you love.  What are they worth to you? My children have been worth a lot of time, energy, sleepless nights, messy clean-ups, and much, much more.  They are priceless to me, as children, relatives, and friends usually are.

This is not true of all people in all circumstances.  Consider the California couple who recently tried to sell their six-month-old baby in a Wal-Mart parking lot.  Their asking price was reportedly $25.  It became a blue-light special, however, when the police were notified by two concerned citizens.

Half a world away, wombs for ...read more

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What Looks Good to Some, but Soon Takes Over?

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D. Joy Riley, M.D., M.A. Executive Director

My beloved great-aunt knew the seasons well.  After the advent of Spring, we still had to go through “Blackberry Winter” and a few other cold snaps.  She would be amazed to learn that I find these “Kudzu Days”.  She never celebrated such a time.  After all, kudzu*, which grew behind her home, is a non-native woody vine planted all over the Southeast by F.D.R.’s Civilian Conservation Corps.  Later it was designated a pest weed.  In 1953, kudzu was removed from the USDA’s list of permissible ground cover, but it has never been eradicated from ...read more

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