Monday, August 20, 2007

Euthanasia Advocate at Medical College of Wisconsin?

While Rick Esenberg's filing resulted in a quick end to a "test case" in LaCrosse, (thank God), it did leave a question.

Why does Medical College of Wisconsin employ a "euthanasia advocate" as a Professor of Bioethics?

Ursula Von der Ruhr Professor of BioethicsDirector, Center for the Study of Bioethics
Robyn Shapiro, the Center's director and co-founder, oversees the Center's multifaceted activities of education, consultation, research, and community outreach and directs the Medical Ethics Committee Network, an umbrella organization of hospital and long-term care institution members from throughout the world.


From the news story:

Robyn Shapiro, an attorney for Marilyn's guardian, told the LaCrosse Tribune newspaper during a Tuesday court hearing that she is “functionally equivalent” to a persistent vegetative state and her medical history supports the position.

An August 22 hearing in the case will be held in the LaCrosse County Circuit Court before Judge Scott Horne.

In the Tuesday hearing, Judge Horne said he was skeptical of Shapiro's position in the case but also accepted his arguments that Marilyn at one time indicated she didn't want to live like Terri Schiavo.

Should that be accepted as her medical directive, it could change the outcome of the case.
Davis responded to that argument saying that Shapiro is simply setting up a case for an appeal and that he is a well known euthanasia advocate who is trying to expand the number of cases when lifesaving medical treatment can be withdrawn.


(NB: It appears that the reported mis-classified Ms. Shapiro as a man in the story.)

It just strikes me as oxymoronic that MD's-in-training are being taught 'ethics' by a "well-known euthanasia advocate."

But it IS a way to reduce healthcare costs.

2 comments:

steveegg said...

The (un)intended consequences of Schaivo have definitely begun.

Terrence Berres said...

"Why does Medical College of Wisconsin employ a "euthanasia advocate" as a Professor of Bioethics?"

Maybe they don't know the difference.