I Should Have Read More History
D. Joy Riley, M.D., M.A. Executive Director
As a teenager, I decided I wanted to be a physician — to help people. I also naively thought that medicine was apolitical. I should have read more history. If I had, I might have come across the story of Ignác Fülöp Semmelweis.
Semmelweis was born to Hungarian parents slightly more than 200 years ago, in 1818. Although he began to study law, he ended up graduating from medical school in 1844. Other plans of his changed as well. When he did not land a position in internal medicine, he spent four extra months training to ...read more
The Rubicon
D. Joy Riley, M.D., M.A. Executive Director
The law in the Roman Republic in 49 B.C. was very clear about an army crossing a small stream outside Rome: it was considered an act of war. Julius Caesar knew this, and led his 13th Legion across that stream, declaring, in the historian Suetonius’ words, “The die is cast!” Caesar and his army did not turn back, but continued on to war, and ultimately defeated Pompey the Great. This turning point in history is referenced whenever we talk about approaching a point of no return and utter the phrase, “crossing the Rubicon.”
“The Rubicon” sculpture ...read more
First Human Embryos Edited in U.S.: A Bright Red Line Is Crossed
D. Joy Riley, M.D., M.A. Executive Director
“Sooner than we expected”: A friend – a scientist steeped in the bioethics realm – wrote to me of her surprise at the announcement of the first embryonic humans edited in the United States. Steve Connor, writing in the MIT Technology Review, reported the work on 26 July 2017. Doubtless, the publication of the work in a scientific journal will follow.
The article, “First human embryos edited in U.S.” by Steve Connor, describes the process thusly: “A person familiar with the research says ‘many tens’ of human IVF embryos were created for the experiment using the ...read more
Choosing Wisely — an initiative of the ABIM Foundation
Nine United States specialty societies representing 374,000 physicians developed lists of “Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question” in recognition of the importance of physician and patient conversations to improve care and eliminate unnecessary tests and procedures.
http://choosingwisely.org/?page_id=13
FDA Okays First Cord Blood Product — medpage TODAY
http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/Hematology/29594
Virulent E. Coli Strain Spreads in Germany and Puzzles Health Officials — New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/world/europe/02ecoli.html
Convicted rapist next in line for organ transplant — BioEdge
http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/9504/
Crime and Transplants — Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics Bulletin
http://bioethicsbulletin.org/archive/crime-and-transplants/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=crime-and-transplants
