Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Blogburst for Terri: Shame on the New England Journal of Medicine
The NEJM posted this commentary on the Terri Schiavo case. Thanks to evolving transhumanist murbella.
I won't violate their IP by posting the link to the PDF which you are free to download yourself. Dr Quill decries the efforts to keep Terry alive and leads off with the PVS arguement (despite the fact she has never received an MRI or PET which would be standard now to confirm that diagnosis). He proves to be as unaware of the salient facts of the case as most of the pundits calling for Terri's death. But what is shocking is that the NEJM is lending it's credibility as an objective source of medical information to a doctor who specializes in Right to Die advocacy and is paid to help patients die. I have no issues with Palliative Care or "death with dignity" as concepts themselves. But Dr Quill clearly has an agenda and a conflict of interest in commenting on Terri's case.
First The Lancet and now NEJM...
I won't violate their IP by posting the link to the PDF which you are free to download yourself. Dr Quill decries the efforts to keep Terry alive and leads off with the PVS arguement (despite the fact she has never received an MRI or PET which would be standard now to confirm that diagnosis). He proves to be as unaware of the salient facts of the case as most of the pundits calling for Terri's death. But what is shocking is that the NEJM is lending it's credibility as an objective source of medical information to a doctor who specializes in Right to Die advocacy and is paid to help patients die. I have no issues with Palliative Care or "death with dignity" as concepts themselves. But Dr Quill clearly has an agenda and a conflict of interest in commenting on Terri's case.
First The Lancet and now NEJM...
papijoe 11:57 AM
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