Aug 2009
Civilized Medicine, Part III. My Proposal
Originally, I was going to make my proposals for healthcare reform as the last item. But now there is so much debating, amending, backtracking, and all around lying, I can’t figure out what’s being proposed. Well, I do know there are no death panels, even if Sarah Palin makes stuff up. Since I’ve installed myself as health care czar (in my own mind), let me make my proposals. Read More...
Civilized medicine, Part IIa. Myths
Aug/15/09 14:49 Filed in: Healthcare Policy | Politics
Although so many others have debunked this myth, I want to make sure that I add to the roar (of laughter, derision and anger) about the latest right-wing attempt to demonize healthcare reform.
Stephen Hawking, the world’s preeminent theoretical physicist, has a form of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the United States), a progressive neuromuscular disease, which has left him paralyzed and unable to communicate except through an advanced communication device. Despite his disease, he has published numerous books and starred in an episode of Star Trek:The Next Generation. On August 3, an Investor’s Business Daily editorial stated, “People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K. where the National Health Service would say the quality of life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless." Read More...
Stephen Hawking, the world’s preeminent theoretical physicist, has a form of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease in the United States), a progressive neuromuscular disease, which has left him paralyzed and unable to communicate except through an advanced communication device. Despite his disease, he has published numerous books and starred in an episode of Star Trek:The Next Generation. On August 3, an Investor’s Business Daily editorial stated, “People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K. where the National Health Service would say the quality of life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless." Read More...
And now, for something lighter
I can’t be serious all the time. And this video is so creative and topical! Read More...
Healthcare reform = Nazism
Aug/13/09 10:15
I have been vaguely uncomfortable with the comparison of Obama’s healthcare plan with Nazis or Hitler. Use of that analogy in a discussion or debate is often referred to as Godwin’s Law, which states that “As a discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.” What has begun to trouble me is that either those opposed to healthcare reform are clueless about recent history, or they are representing a form of Holocaust denial, which is a belief that the murder of six million Jews during World War II did not happen. I know that certain individuals in the healthcare debate are prone to rhetorical flourish, but there is no way that healthcare reform is equivalent to Nazi’s. Unless you believe that Hitler was engaged in “healthcare reform”, or worse yet, you think the death of six million Jews is not the worst thing that Hitler did (well, the Holocaust and being directly responsible for the deaths of tens of millions as a result of the war itself).
Many others are becoming convinced that the right wing is spreading Holocaust denial as a part of making their hatred against Obama and this new healthcare plan. According to Arthur Caplan, a renowned bioethicist, “Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and the rest of the loud-mouthed right wing are, when they even hint at an analogy to the Nazis in talking about Obama’s health reform effort, engaged in something far worse than insanity. They are engaged in the vile evil of Holocaust denial.”
Those who are opposed to Civilized Medicine are so filled with hatred, that they cannot even provide cogent and positive points about healthcare reform. You just can’t make stuff up. Read More...
Many others are becoming convinced that the right wing is spreading Holocaust denial as a part of making their hatred against Obama and this new healthcare plan. According to Arthur Caplan, a renowned bioethicist, “Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and the rest of the loud-mouthed right wing are, when they even hint at an analogy to the Nazis in talking about Obama’s health reform effort, engaged in something far worse than insanity. They are engaged in the vile evil of Holocaust denial.”
Those who are opposed to Civilized Medicine are so filled with hatred, that they cannot even provide cogent and positive points about healthcare reform. You just can’t make stuff up. Read More...
Immunization–get the facts
Just when I thought that the whole anti-vaccination movement was going to be eclipsed by the whole healthcare reform debate (or myth-pushing, depending on your point of view), I still realize that there are groups who think that vaccines are not usesful. People are starting to stand up to the pseudoscience-based woo-pushing crowd: Read More...
Civilized medicine, Part II. Myths
Aug/09/09 10:17
I have found the commentary against the proposed healthcare reform to be both disturbing (Limbaugh’s comments dishonors the memory of the Holocaust) and silly (and kind of disturbing too). But almost all of the comments are based on myths, and as those of you who read this blog know, I can’t stand myths. The disinformation about Obama’s healthcare plan is poisoning the debate, because rational people tend to dismiss an opposing viewpoint if it has no sound foundation in logic. I think that there should be a reasoned debate on how to fix the healthcare system of the US. It’s not happening, because one side is channeling its hatred of the other side, and reason goes flying out the door.
Let me refute some of the more outlandish of the myths about healthcare reform. Let me state upfront that there were so many to choose, and some of them were so laughable, I didn’t know where to start. Read More...
Let me refute some of the more outlandish of the myths about healthcare reform. Let me state upfront that there were so many to choose, and some of them were so laughable, I didn’t know where to start. Read More...
Terrorists. No not that kind.
Aug/06/09 00:31 Filed in: Pharmaceuticals | Science
I’m going to digress from the healthcare reform debate (or what should be a debate but has degenerated into yelling, but I digress from digressing).
Last week animal right’s protestors burned the vacation home of Daniel Vasella, CEO of Novartis. This incident followed one where the same protestors desecrated his mother’s grave. Apparently, the protestors wanted Novartis to quit contracting Huntingdon Life Sciences for animal testing of its pharmaceutical products. Now Huntingdon has a checkered past in animal testing* from which it has recovered, and instituted ethical policies that are admirable.
I’m not going to get into an extensive debate on animal testing. Basically, there are no alternatives to testing medical products on animals. It is done in a safe and ethical manner. The industry cannot test vaccines, medicines, and medical devices for safety and efficacy, prior to a human clinical trial, in any other reasonable or reliable manner.
These terrorists, yes they are terrorists by any definition, seek to harm humans to further their agenda. Burning a vacation home or destroying the ashes of loved one is not going to change the fact that when these terrorists need medical treatment after being injured one day during their misguided activities, they will receive the best medical care because it was thoroughly researched and tested before being used.
I understand their motivation. I might even empathize with some of their goals. But we should never support violence to further a goal. Never. Read More...
Last week animal right’s protestors burned the vacation home of Daniel Vasella, CEO of Novartis. This incident followed one where the same protestors desecrated his mother’s grave. Apparently, the protestors wanted Novartis to quit contracting Huntingdon Life Sciences for animal testing of its pharmaceutical products. Now Huntingdon has a checkered past in animal testing* from which it has recovered, and instituted ethical policies that are admirable.
I’m not going to get into an extensive debate on animal testing. Basically, there are no alternatives to testing medical products on animals. It is done in a safe and ethical manner. The industry cannot test vaccines, medicines, and medical devices for safety and efficacy, prior to a human clinical trial, in any other reasonable or reliable manner.
These terrorists, yes they are terrorists by any definition, seek to harm humans to further their agenda. Burning a vacation home or destroying the ashes of loved one is not going to change the fact that when these terrorists need medical treatment after being injured one day during their misguided activities, they will receive the best medical care because it was thoroughly researched and tested before being used.
I understand their motivation. I might even empathize with some of their goals. But we should never support violence to further a goal. Never. Read More...
Civilized medicine, Part I. Why?
Aug/05/09 01:01
Unless you live in a world that does not include the media or internet, you must be aware of the level and tone of debate about healthcare reform. Before we can discuss healthcare reform, we need to establish why we need healthcare reform. Cutting through the rhetoric as to what needs to be done, we still need to know the reasons that have lead the US to the point where we need to seriously consider some level of reform of the system. Setting aside some of the rhetoric and arguments, let’s look at the key issues regarding healthcare in the US. Read More...
Civilized medicine
Aug/04/09 23:44
I’m titling this post “Civilized Medicine” as opposed to “socialized medicine.” What I’m really going to discuss is Obama’s healthcare plan, but I wanted to start out by demolishing that old strawman argument that attempts to dismiss new ideas by calling them “socialist.” A civilized society owes its citizens the right to a healthy life. But that’s just semantics, and a thorough review the Obama’s proposal is warranted. When I first started to write this entry, I thought I could do it one article, albeit a long one. Instead, to make it easier to read, I’ve decided to do it over four parts over the next few days. Read More...