November 2007 Archives
What is Amazon Kindle?
Amazon Kindle (http://amazon.com/kindle) is a revolutionary portable reader that wirelessly downloads books, newspapers, magazines and blogs to a crisp, high-resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight.
Kindle customers, no matter where they are in the U.S., can wirelessly shop the Kindle Store and download new content -- all without a PC or a WiFi hot spot. Amazon pays for Kindle's wireless connectivity so there are no monthly wireless bills and no service commitments for customers. The Kindle Store contains over 90,000 books that can be purchased and delivered wirelessly to Kindle, each in less than a minute. Customers can choose from hundreds of top newspapers, magazines and blogs and have their subscriptions auto-delivered wirelessly. All New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are $9.99, unless marked otherwise.
At 10.3 ounces, Kindle is lighter and thinner than a paperback book, carries two hundred books, and includes built-in access to The New Oxford American Dictionary and wireless access to the Earth's biggest encyclopedia, Wikipedia.org.
Common immune system disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and arthritis, could one day be treatable with bone marrow transplants, research suggests.
Currently, the procedure is reserved for life-threatening disorders because chemotherapy or radiotherapy is needed before a transplant can be done.
But a protein may do the same job without dangerous side-effects, a mouse study published in Science suggests.
However, the technique is not yet ready for testing in humans.
Stem cell studies are an important avenue of research which hold promise in terms of treatments for MS
Dr Laura Bell, MS SocietyThe purpose of a bone marrow transplant is to infuse the body with healthy adult stem cells which are able to form fresh blood and immune cells.
In order for the new blood-forming stem cells to take hold, the faulty cells in the bone marrow must first be destroyed, but the aggressive therapies used can cause severe side effects, such as brain damage, increased risk of cancer or infertility.
A person with an autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis has a defective immune system in which immune cells attack the person's own body.
Treatment with a bone marrow transplant would give the patient an immune system that might not attack the body, but this could only be done if the technique was less dangerous.
Antibodies
A team from Stanford University in the US found that injecting mice with antibodies which latch on to specific proteins on the surface of blood-forming stem cells, destroyed the cells without harming the mice.
Blood-forming stem cells transplanted into the mice were then able to take up residence in the bone marrow and set up a new blood and immune system.
However, the barriers are still significant, the researchers said, as the work was done on a particular group of mice that are a poor mimic for the human immune system.
And it remains to be seen whether the same molecule on human blood-forming stem cells would be the right one to use.
"It is essentially a surgical strike against the blood-forming stem cells," said study author Dr Irving Weissman, director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.
He added that he believed the hurdles to translating the research into humans could be overcome.
Dr Laura Bell, research communications officer at the MS Society, said: "Stem cell studies are an important avenue of research which hold promise in terms of treatments for MS.
"This early stage study is interesting and we look forward to seeing how the work translates into studies in people with MS."
Dr. M. William Lensch works at The Daley Lab and he's answering questions about stem cells via New York Times here.
"Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you."
~John De Paola
All they had to do, the scientists said, was add four genes. The genes reprogrammed the chromosomes of the skin cells, making the cells into blank slates that should be able to turn into any of the 220 cell types of the human body, be it heart, brain, blood or bone. Until now, the only way to get such human universal cells was to pluck them from a human embryo several days after fertilization, destroying the embryo in the process.
More via The New York Times
Emotional contact just what doctor ordered
By DOROTHY SCHNEIDER
dschneider@journalandcourier.com
There were few hugs at Conner Smith's homecoming celebration Monday night, but the joy and excitement in the air was tangible.
Thirteen-year-old Conner returned to his Lafayette home for the first time since July, when he went to Cincinnati for prepare for a bone marrow transplant.
The Aug. 17 transplant was Conner's only chance at being cured of a rare immune disorder, called Nuclear Factor Kappa B Essential Modifier Deficiency, or NEMO.
The doctors have ruled his transplant a success. But he's still at high risk of developing a potentially life-threatening infection, which means no hugging and very little contact outside of his immediate family for at least the next six months.
"What are you guys doing here?" Conner asked his friends, from behind a green face mask as he stepped out of his mother's minivan and onto his driveway.
"We're here for you," several shouted back, amid cheers and applause from several dozen family friends who gathered to welcome him home.
Pastor Norm Nellis of Grace United Methodist Church offered a prayer in the Smith's front yard, thanking God for healing Conner and bringing his family back together.
Kristin Smith, Conner's mother, spent most of the past four months in Cincinnati, away from her husband, Chris, her other two sons -- Conner's fraternal triplets, Evan and Hayden -- and her 11-year-old daughter Kelsey.
"Our goal was to try to get home before Thanksgiving, but we didn't really think that was attainable," she said. "We were told he wouldn't likely leave before day 100 (post-transplant) and a majority of the kids who have transplants have to stay even weeks beyond that."
Monday was Day 95 post-transplant for Conner. He's still not out of the woods and has battled several infections in the past couple months. But he was allowed to head home as long as he makes weekly follow-up visits to his Cincinnati doctors.
Lori Austin, Kristin's best friend, organized the homecoming and had tears in her eyes even before the car pulled into the driveway. Austin held her 2-month-old son, Bryce, who she said is Conner's youngest fan even though the two hadn't yet met.
"We're so proud of Conner and the whole family," Austin said. "They never lost the faith."
Amazon introduces a new way to read books called Kindle.
Paper-like screen: called electronic paper. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically.
Wireless Access
Carry Your Library in 10.3 Ounces
Ergonomic Design
Shop the Kindle Store Right from Your Device
Search
Keyboard
Bookmarks and Annotation
Built-in Dictionary
Wireless Access to Wikipedia
Adjustable Text Size
Long Battery Life
Theodore Roosevelt
The JMF will host a series of events for honored guests, colleagues, and supporters in dedication to Immunology, Discovery and Harvard. The day's activities include the second symposium of the Robert A. Good Immunology Society with 30 of the world's leading immunologists speaking, a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Jeffrey Modell Immunology Center, and a tour of the new Robert A. Good Library and the Fred S. Rosen Lecture Hall to honor their roles as founding fathers of modern immunology.
The day will conclude with a private dinner at the Harvard Club, featuring a special performance by the famed Boston Children's Chorus. The 200 plus member group has performed at the top charitable, corporate and civic events locally as well as on tour both nationally and internationally. D. Holmes Morton, M.D., co-founder of the Clinic for Special Children located in the Amish countryside in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania will give a special address following the performance. Dr. Morton is recognized internationally for innovative studies in the diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders, as well as the discovery of the genetic bias of problems within the Amish and Mennonite populations. Among many distinguishing awards and honorary doctoral degrees, Holmes Morton was given the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism and named a Hero of Medicine by Time magazine and most recently was awarded the prestigious MacArthur fellowship.
Centrally located on the Harvard Medical School Quadrangle, the Jeffrey Modell Immunology Center will provide a home base for immunologists worldwide and throughout the Harvard medical and scientific community. This is the first building in the United States to be designed for a graduate sciences program in immunology. It will be an operative and geographic focus for both faculty and graduate students from the Medical School, the 17 teaching hospitals, and Harvard University science departments. Most importantly, it will facilitate the collaboration of immunology researchers from clinical and basic research departments and profoundly enhance discovery and productivity.
"After 21 years it is an emotional and climatic point in our lives to see the number one medical school in the nation establish a building in our son's name, and to know that life-altering work will come out of this monumental endeavor," says Fred and Vicki Modell. "We are truly grateful to all those that have helped to make this happen and we are so proud that Jeffrey is going to Harvard!"
The Jeffrey Modell Center is a unique facility that will provide much needed space for teaching, seminars, educational events, lounges, office space, and a new library. It will maximize collaboration between faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students in the graduate program in immunology, as well as throughout the Longwood medical area. The Center will contribute to the development of highly trained immunologists at a time when emerging research has become the key to treatment, prevention and cures for a host of deadly and debilitating diseases.
"Harvard Medical School is renowned throughout the nation and the world for its outstanding leadership in medical research. The Jeffrey Modell Center will keep Harvard at the cutting edge for years to come in the field of immunology and for prevention, treatment, and cures of a wide range of deadly and debilitating diseases," said Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health Committee.
The Jeffrey Modell Immunology Center will also be home to the Robert A. Good Library and Fred S. Rosen Lecture Hall. As the founders of modern immunology Dr. Robert A. Good and Dr. Fred S. Rosen will be honored for their tremendous contributions to the foundation of immunology. Dr. Good had numerous research achievements over the past half-century and is credited with the discovery of the function of the thymus, defined our understanding of T and B cell lymphocyte systems, and performed the first successful bone marrow transplant in 1968. As one of the world's foremost authorities on immunology and primary immunodeficiencies, Dr. Rosen was the distinguished James Gamble Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
The Jeffrey Modell Foundation
The Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF) was established in 1987 by Vicki and Fred Modell, in memory of their son, Jeffrey, who died from complications of Primary Immunodeficiency at the age of 15. JMF is a multi-faceted global nonprofit foundation devoted to the early and precise diagnosis, meaningful treatments, and ultimately cures of PI, and is focused on physician education, public awareness, and clinical and basic research to better understand and treat these Immunodeficiencies. To date, there are 35 Jeffrey Modell Research and Diagnostic Centers in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. Recently they established a collaboration with the NIH and Affymetrix to develop a Gene Chip using Microarray technology to do Newborn Screening of Severe Combined Immune Deficiency. The Modells have raised over $40 million for research and education since starting the Foundation in 1987.
Harvard Medical School
The mission of the Harvard Medical School is to create and nurture a diverse community of the best people committed to leadership in alleviating human suffering caused by disease. It is the number one medical school in the United States for the past 19 years. There are 7,099-fulltime faculty working at 17 Harvard Teaching Hospitals and Research Institutes. Harvard Medical School has produced 12 Nobel Prize winners.
www.HealthNewsDigest.com
Conner received stem cells 87 days ago from an unrelated young woman who turned out to be a 7/8 match. It was his only chance to cure his NEMO primary immune deficiency.
I took the text below from his Mom's blog at cure4conner.org where she describes the "AHA moment" regarding transplants. What she describes is true not only for transplants but for medicine in general and that is why we need to support research like the one being done at very important labs.
Politicians and religious extremists should spend a couple of days at a stem cell transplant unit to witness what children go through and maybe then they will understand the importance of funding life saving research.
Day 87
Well, there is a lot of stuff that I should be doing right now, such as forcing Conner to take medicine he doesn't want and methodically wiping down surfaces with Clorox wipes. But instead I will share some things I've been thinking about.
Most of you probably know the story of David Vetter and how his life touched future children with immune deficiencies. Maybe you're more familiar with David as "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble". He was born with a severe combined immune deficiency, referred to as SCID. Although SCID is somewhat similar to Conner's immune deficiency, it is more severe and most children do not live to see their first birthday without a bone marrow transplant. This was true in David's family, his parents lost their firstborn son to the disease at seven months.
David made history by the fact that he was able to live to the age of 12 by remaining isolated in the hospital and his home in Texas (in a sterile bubble). I can't even imagine! Although they were never able to find a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant, in 1984 they decided that with the advances made in unmatched transplants it was worth the risk to use his sister's unmatched marrow. Reports say that the transplant went well and there was hope that he would eventually be able to leave the bubble. However within a few months, David became sick for the first time in his life. It appeared that the screening for his sister's marrow had missed the dormant EBV (Epstein-Barr virus). He was so sick that he had to be removed from isolation so that he could get the proper medical care. For the first time in his life (12 years!) his parents were finally able to physically touch him! He eventually went into a coma and passed away a few weeks later. His cause of death was determined to be Lymphoma, brought on by the EBV. It was the first time in history that doctors had proof that cancer could be caused by a virus. This knowledge was ultimately beneficial for other BMT patients, including Conner. When Conner became infected with EBV post-transplant, he was given one of the drugs used to treat Burkitt Lymphoma, the particular cancer caused by EBV. After just a few treatments Conner's EBV is now dormant and hopefully it stays that way!
Conner has been very interested in David's story for a number of years and I remember watching the movie very loosely based on his life with John Travolta. I have to wonder what David's mother, Carol Ann Demaret, thought of that movie as it certainly minimized the trauma their family endured. I am thankful to know that Carol continues the fight today to help advance treatment and support for all families with immune deficiencies. Anyway, I have to say that's a pretty awesome legacy for a 12 year old boy! Don't you think?
Part of the reason I've been thinking about this is that I had a recent "aha moment", when the realization hit me that doctors continue to learn from each and every BMT patient. We witnessed this happening while we were on the transplant unit where some new treatment or precaution was initiated based on things happening to other kids (and even Conner) on the Unit. We are so thankful that the team at Cincinnati Children's is constantly striving to make transplants easier and safer.
However, there is still a long way to go. A bone marrow transplant is a treatment filled with terrible risks and can affect a person's health (both positively and negatively) for the remainder of their life. We know that Conner still has a long way to go before he's out of the woods. Our friends Jeremy and Justin are both now fighting GVH of the intestines. Some kids seem to almost breeze through transplant and others fight battle after battle. Please keep all of the BMT kids in your prayers.
Conner heads back to the hospital on Monday morning for Cidofovir and labs. We will see if his marrow was able to keep up with this weekend's blood loss. We are really trying to not give him any more transfusions than absolutely necessary at this point, too much will make his marrow stop trying so hard.
Please continue to pray for Conner's healing, sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel looks a little dim. Please pray for his bladder to heal, the bleeding to stop and protection from any other infections or GVH.
Not working...
I will try again later.
Save a Dying Child: Have Another One
Families Use Genetic Selection to Have a Baby to Save Their Other Child's Life
Most parents would do anything to keep their children safe.
But what can parents do when their child is sick with a deadly disease and requires a bone marrow transplant? any in this situation are turning to a controversial procedure in which they choose to have another baby genetically selected from embryos created outside the womb to save the life of their sick child.
Stories here.
What is NEMO?
By Jordan Orange, MD, PhD
Mutation of the gene called NEMO can be a serious cause of primary immunodefi ciency. NEMO stands for the "nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells essential modulator." It is more commonly called the "NF- B essential modulator", or just "NEMO." Although the name is a mouthful, it is justifi ed by the importance of this gene. NEMO is a key part of a master switch used to "turn on" function in a cell. Many valuable receptors in the immune system use NEMO as a switch to access immune responses. This is sort of like a switchboard operator connecting the caller to the person they are trying to speak to.
The NEMO gene is on the X chromosome and one healthy NEMO gene is all the immune system needs to work. A mutation in the NEMO gene causes immunodefi ciency only in boys, because they only have one X chromosome.
Boys who have a mutation in their NEMO gene can have different immune and non-immune problems depending upon where the mutation in the NEMO gene is located. One common nonimmune problem affecting about 60% of boys with a NEMO mutation is a condition called ectodermal dysplasia. Boys with ectodermal dysplasia have fi ne sparse hair, extremely pointy and missing teeth and do not sweat because they lack sweat glands. NEMO mutation is not the only cause of ectodermal dysplasia, but is the main one that is linked to primary immunodefi ciency.
The immune systems of boys with a NEMO mutation can be deficient in a number of different ways. This includes effects on the B cells and T cells as well as some of the pre-programmed "innate" defenses of the immune system. For this reason, the NEMO mutation can lead to infections very early in life, as well as some more unusual types of infection. Some of the more unusual infections include "atypical" mycobacteria (bacteria that live inside of cells only and are related to the bacteria that causes tuberculosis) and severe cytomegalovirus (a herpes virus related to the virus that causes "mono" which can cause serious illness in individuals with primary immunodeciencies). The effects on B cells also frequently cause major gaps in antibody responses and can lead to repeated bacterial infections. These can be very serious and include pneumonia, meningitis (bacteria around the brain) and septicemia (bacteria in the blood). Although we do not completely understand why, a number of boys with NEMO mutations also have very bad diarrhea and inflammation in their intestine. This can look like inflammatory bowel disease.
Since 2000 when NEMO mutations in boys were first discovered, we have learned a great deal. We have come a long way in understanding how to screen for and confi rm a diagnosis. We have also gained valuable insight into treatments that can be useful. These treatments include using immune globulin therapy (IVIG) to provide an antibody defense, and prophylactic antibiotics to help protect against the mycobacteria and other bacterial infections. In addition, certain treatments that try to suppress the infl ammation of the intestine and prevent severe diarrhea may be used. In a few boys, blood stem cell transplantation (from cord blood or bone marrow) has been successful in curing the primary immunodeficiency. This, however, is still in its early stages and there is much to learn.
Importantly, we have learned a great deal about what to expect and how to stay "one sep ahead" of the complications of NEMO. We now know some preventative measures to use to try and keep boys who have NEMO mutations healthy. Collaboration with patients and families that have been affected by this disorder has been instrumental. They have taught us important lessons and we truly appreciate their openness and generous sharing of experiences. Although we still have ground to cover to gain the upper hand over NEMO, we hope to do better and better.
Dr. Jordan Orange is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University
of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia. For the past two years, Dr. Orange has served as the
chairman of the Primary immunodefi ciency Committee of the American
Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology and is an active member
of the IDF Medical Advisory Committee.
Link to the IDF Newsletter in PDF format here.
WHO IS JACK?
By Roy and Charlotte Hagelin
At the 2007 IDF National Conference, when Carol Ann Demaret and Dr. Jordan Orange dedicated their comments to the memory of "Jack" the question on many minds was "Who is Jack?" We are Roy and Charlotte Hagelin from Fairfi eld, New Jersey, and we would like to share the story of our son, Jack, with you.
On September 4, 2002 our family was blessed--Jack was born. He was a beautiful baby, but shortly after his birth, Jack began spitting up and experiencing diarrhea. At fi ve weeks, Jack was malnourished, dehydrated and almost down to his birth weight. He had to be hospitalized. We were alarmed because Jack's uncle and male cousin had suffered from these same conditions. There was never any diagnosis for these boys and unfortunately, they died at young ages.
Did our Jack have the same condition?
After a 10 week battle of trying to fi nd out what was wrong, the only diagnosis the doctors offered was a "severe milk protein allergy." Jack's formula was changed and he improved. However, his lower extremities started to swell, initially starting in his right foot, then spreading through both legs and scrotal area.
Infection after infection, hospital stay to hospital stay, Jack's "milk allergy" just didn't seem to be the answer. We saw some of the best doctors on the east coast, traveling from one state to another on a quest for the right diagnosis.
Then another odd symptom appeared. At ten months, when Jack cut his fi rst two teeth, they were pointed (cone shaped). A
pediatric dentist felt this was a result of all Jack's medications and medical issues. But, after we remembered that the cousin who died as an infant had similar teeth, we grew even more concerned.A turning point came during one hospital stay when we asked for a dental x-ray. A dental resident suggested that our son had Ectodermal Dysplasia. This led us to a genetic specialist and an immunologist who explained that patients with Ectodermal Dysplasia often also have primary immunodefi ciencies. Jack's medical history fi t into the diagnosis. We were then told about Nuclear Factor Kappa B Essential Modulator (NEMO), a rare xlinked primary immunodeficiency.
When Jack was threatened with pneumonia, he had an emergency hospitalization which led us to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Dr. Jordan Orange. That hospital stay changed our lives. The tests confirmed the NEMO diagnosis and Jack began a regimen of immune globulin therapy. While it was an incredible feeling to finally have a diagnosis, we were also told that most boys with NEMO have a life expectancy of only ten years.
When we heard about stem cell transplants, we felt it was the only option for our son to live a long healthy life.
In March 2006, we prepared for Jack's transplant. A generous stranger was a perfect unrelated donor match, and on March 25, the transplant was done, but did not progress well. Jack's blood count was not what it should be and Jack wasn't making enough of the "right" cells to cure his immune issues. Thankfully, the donor again provided bone marrow and Jack was re-transplanted on May 17. This time, all went well and Jack was released from the hospital on June 10th. We were now beginning a new life as a family with a child who we hoped would soon be "cured" from his immunodeficiency.
The next year was filled with weekly visits to the hospital lab to check Jack's blood count and deal with gastrointestinal issues that stayed in the way of his getting healthy. Then, on March 16, 2007, Jack was hospitalized again. He had been taking medications to suppress his new immune system and developed a cough that led to pneumonia. On March 27, Jack's little body decided not to fight.
So, this is Jack, our Hero. He gave us life and love. He will remain in our hearts and his legacy will be a part of all of our lives, forever.
This is a short account of Jack's diagnosis and some of his treatments--there is so much more to the remarkable life of this young boy. You can learn more about Jack and the Hagelin family at their Web site, www.cure4jack.org.
Link to the IDF Newsletter in PDF format here.
Contribution of Alfredo d'Argence
anagram (an-a-gram)
noun
A word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase. For example, Listen to Silent.
verb tr., intr.
To rearrange letters in such a way. To anagrammatize.
[From New Latin anagramma, from Greek anagrammatismos, ana- (up, again, back, new) + -gram (letter).]
Other examples:
Clint Eastwood = Old West Action
Dictionary = Indicatory
Western Union = No Wire Unsent
A Telephone Girl = Repeating "Hello"
The eyes = They see
The Morse Code = Here Come Dots
Tom Cruise = So I'm Cuter
The Detectives = Detect Thieves
The Hospital Ambulance = A Cab, I Hustle to Help Man
A Gentleman = Elegant Man
Statue of Liberty = Built to Stay Free
Eleven plus two = Twelve plus one
Admirer = Married
David Letterman = Nerd Amid Late TV
From an email of Andy's school superintendent.
A person with a fixed mindset
· views intelligence as inherent
· has a desire to look smart
· has a tendency to avoid challenges
· tends to give up easily
· sees effort as fruitless
· ignores constructive criticism
· feels threatened by the success of others, and
· may plateau early and achieve less than their full potential.
A person with a growth mindset
· sees intelligence as something that can be developed
· has a desire to learn
· has a tendency to embrace challenges
· persists despite setbacks
· views effort as the path to mastery
· learns from criticism
· finds lessons and inspiration in the success of others, and
· may reach higher levels of achievement.
This is weird, but interesting!
fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.
Link to the science
Last week, the Human Genome Research Project at Otago University made several recommendations that, once more, remind us that some difficult questions cannot be forever ignored, The Dominion Post writes.
In a new report, it proposed the genetic testing of all newborn babies as well as greater access to embryo tests to allow the harvesting of what it calls "saviour siblings", the potential creation of a genetically matching baby whose cells can be used to cure a sick brother or sister.
The report comes at the same time the Bioethics Council is consulting the public on the ethics of "pre-birth" testing - that is, undertaking tests on a foetus to identify a range of possible illnesses, such as cystic fibrosis.
The pros and cons of such research are both profound and entirely feasible. Regrettably, however, most people shy from these issues because they are painted all shades of grey, not black and white.
Do parents want to know, before their child is born, whether he or she is predisposed to type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis or alcoholism? And if they do, what would they do with the knowledge? A parent, faced with early news that their much-wanted child-to-be will have Down syndrome, for example, must choose to abort or proceed, with all the ramifications caused by a disabled child.
Pre- and post-natal screening are, however, but two among a raft of medically based ethical dilemmas that face not only parents and medics, but the entire community. They remain unanswered because they are easier to ignore. But that doesn't make them go away.
Who, for example, should have preference for publicly funded healthcare - those who can afford private insurance or those who cannot? Should a kiddy with glue ear take precedence over a granny with a failing heart? Should an athlete whose illness results from steroid abuse receive taxpayer-funded care? Should a gang member burned in a P-lab explosion get expensive skin grafts and physiotheraphy when a law-abiding taxpayer with varicose veins tumbles further down a public hospital waiting list?
What of the person, chronically disabled through disease, who must meet the heavy costs of having their home and vehicle modified to give them some independence when, had they had an accident, ACC would have met the cost? Is that fair?
When - if ever - will Kiwis accept genetic modification done in pursuit of improved health? How is it, when Maori lore holds that animal and human cells should not mix, that some diabetic Maori are willing to use synthetic insulin, a treatment originally derived from pigs? Is that called "situational ethics"? Would those who rail against stem cell research - and not only that part of it involving embryonic stem cells - abandon principle were their son or mother to benefit from such research?
Such issues abound in the field of health. Allowing parents to test for disease before their infant enters the world or to create a sibling simply in order to save an older and unwell child are only two of them. Ignoring the ethics of such policymaking will not make the issues vanish into the ether and cannot be entrusted wholly to bureaucrats and politicians.
More here.
