The Bioethics Channel

The Bioethics Channel is a podcast produced by the Center for Practical Bioethics. Each episode provides a forum to discuss a bioethics issue, featuring Center staff and national experts as guests.

Lorell LaBoube, the Center's director of communications, hosts The Bioethics Channel. Lorell has more than 20 years of experience in medical public relations and has a background in radio broadcasting.

For more information and to suggest topics and guests, contact Lorell at llaboube@practicalbioethics.org.

The Bioethics Channel is a free podcast. To subscribe via iTunes click  here or you may click on  medicalchannelsonline.libsyn.com/rss.

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February 2010 Episodes

An Update on Pain Policy

Myra Christopher
President/CEO
Center for Practical Bioethics

February 5, 2010
14 minutes 47 seconds

As we age in America, more of us than ever before will suffer from chronic pain. Whether we receive appropriate for that pain may be an open question … as many patients today continue to suffer from chronic pain even as therapies are available for treatment.

Lorell LaBoube talks about the status on achieving a balanced pain policy with Myra Christopher, president and CEO of the Center for Practical Bioethics, in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Rethinking Vegetative States

Glenn McGee, PhD
John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics
Center for Practical Bioethics

February 4, 2010

12 minutes 44  seconds

Do we need to rethink what a vegetative state means? That question is prompted by an article in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding brain activity in patients in a persistent vegetative state.

Glenn McGee and Lorell LaBoube talk about it in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Links:

The Plural of Anecdote is not Ambien, bioethics.net, October 6, 2006

Can Ambien Wake Up PVS Patients?, bioethics.net, May 2006

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January 2010 Episodes

Terri Schiavo Lives On

John Carney
January 29, 2010

12 minutes 43 seconds

Terri Schiavo’s name doesn’t appear in the headlines much these days. But her story continues to ripple through state legislatures across the country, trying to wrestle with end of life issues.

In this edition of the Bioethics Channel, host Lorell LaBoube visits with John Carney, vice president for aging and end of life at the Center for Practical Bioethics, about legislative efforts to address issues raised by the story of Terri Schiavo. 

Ashley X Revisited

Norman Fost, MD
John Lantos, MD

8 minutes 20 seconds

The Ashley X case created headlines and raised a host of ethical questions in 2007. Those issues are revisited in the January 2010 issue of The American Journal of Bioethics.

In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Lorell LaBoube visits with Norman Fost, MD, co-author of the target article in the journal, and John Lantos, MD, who wrote a peer review commentary.

Making or Having a Baby: The Ethics of Genetic Testing

Glenn McGee, PhD
January 15, 2010

16 minutes 5 seconds

A decade ago Molly Nash made headlines when her parents had a baby brother to save her life. Are the ethics of that decision any more clear today than ten years ago?

Glenn McGee thinks not. He explains in this conversation with Lorell LaBoube on The Bioethics Channel. Dr. McGee holds the John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics at the Center for Practical Bioethics.

Link: Embryo genetic screening controversial - and successful, USA Today, January 10, 2010

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Aging and End of Life

Mobility and Transportation for our Aging Population

Scott Helm, PhD
January 8, 2010

Mobility is more of an issue with our aging population than transportation. Scott Helm, PhD of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit leadership at the University of Missouri-Kansas City explains in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Homes for the Aging: Now and in the Future

Daniel Serda, PhD
Kansas City Design Center

December 22, 2009
12 minutes 32 seconds

How will our aging population affect the homes we have now, and how we build homes in the future? In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Daniel Serda, PhD Executive Director and CEO of the Kansas City Design Center discusses these developments with host Lorell LaBoube.

Link: KC4 Aging in Community

Aging in Kansas City: The Implications

John Carney
December 17, 2009
9 minutes 30 seconds

What does the data tell us about aging in Kansas City? And what are the implications?

The host of The Bioethics Channel, Lorell LaBoube, talks about it with John Carney of the Center for Practical Bioethics.

Tapping into Baby Boomers

Brian Hofland
Director of the Center for Economic Justice
AARP Foundation

7 minutes 33 seconds

December 10, 2009

The first wave of Baby Boomers is already turning 60. And America’s rapidly increasing population of older adults represents a vast and under-tapped resource.

Lorell LaBoube talks about how to tap into this resource with Brian Hofland of the   AARP Foundation’s Center for Economic Justice.

Why do people still suffer at the end of life?

Myra Christopher
November 27, 2009

15 minutes

We, as a society, still don’t have it right when it comes to treating people with serious illness or the end of life. That’s according to Myra Christopher, president and CEO of the Center for Practical Bioethics. In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Myra talks about it with Lorell LaBoube and the messages she will deliver during a lecture on December 9.

A Conversation with Bill Colby

William Colby, JD
General Counsel – Truman Medical Center

September 30, 2009
8 minutes 48 seconds

Twenty years ago William Colby argued the Nancy Cruzan case before the US Supreme Court. What did the Cruzan case mean for all of us? Have we made progress making our wishes known for the end of life?

Colby talks about the Cruzan case in this interview with Lorell LaBoube, director of communications at the Center for Practical Bioethics.

Colby will present his reflections on the case during a lecture on October 14, 2009. For more information on this free lecture and how to register, go to www.practicalbioethics.org.

Aging in Community with Help at Home

August 21, 2009

14 minutes 28 seconds

Would you like to stay in your home to a good old age? If you do, you’ll need some help with minor to major home chores. And the Help at Home program is just for you.

Dawn Herbet of Jewish Family Services talks about the program, along with Seroj Terian, community handyman, Heather Aronoff, a beneficiary of the Help at Home program.

Booming By 65: Aging in Kansas City

Scott Helm
John Carney

June 12, 2009

15 minutes 27 seconds

A new study projects the number of residents 65 and older in metro Kansas City to double by the year 2030. The impact on housing, transportation and healthcare will be profound.

Scott Helm, senior fellow with the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, and John Carney, vice president for aging and end of life at the Center for Practical Bioethics, talk about the implications of the numbers in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Chronic Disease and Aging

John Carney
May 29, 2009
12 minutes 24 seconds

The overwhelming majority of Americans will die of complications from a chronic disease. At the same time, that overwhelming majority will pay little attention to what that means, awaiting a medical crash instead, forcing us to face the inevitable.

John Carney of the Center for Practical Bioethics discusses the implications of chronic disease and aging in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.    

Preparing today for tomorrow's aging America

Mia Oberlink and Phil Stafford
May 22, 2009

The data is undeniable -- we are an aging society. What does that mean? And how can we prepare today for tomorrow's aging America?

Mia Oberlin and Phil Stafford of the Advantage Initiative discuss these issues in this edition of the Bioethics Channel.

The Case of Nancy Cruzan

Myra Christopher
Bill Colby

April 9, 2009

It's the story of a young woman in a persistent vegetative state, and it caused a firestorm of debate across the country that reached the halls of power in Washington, DC.

The Terri Schiavo case? No, Nancy Cruzan. In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, two individuals closely involved with the Cruzan case -- Myra Christopher and Bill Colby of the Center for Practical Bioethics -- talk about what the case meant then and what it means today some 20 years later.

Have You Had "The TALK?"

Kathy Sproules, MD, Crossroads Hospice
John Carney, Center for Practical Bioethics
34 minutes

April 16 is Healthcare Decisions Day across the country - a day to name someone you trust to speak for you during a serious illness or at the end of life.

This special edition of the Bioethics Channel comes courtesy of KMBZ Radio in Kansas City. It's a radio program that aired April 4, 2009. Guests include Kathy Sproules, MD of Crossroads Hospice and John Carney of the Center for Practical Bioethics.  

Caring Conversations for Young Adults

Barbara Bollier, MD
Lauren Douville
March 27, 2009

For a number of years, the Center for Practical Bioethics has offered a booklet called Caring Conversations to helps individuals and their families make practical preparations for end-of-life decisions. Now the Center has tailored a version of Caring Conversations for use by young adults.

End of Life Issues in Missouri and Kansas
John Carney
12 minutes 9 seconds
February 27, 2009

Officials in Kansas and Missouri are considering provisions which would streamline end of life care decision making and specify preferences for care outside of a hospital.

In this edition of the Bioethics Channel John Carney, vice president for aging and end of life at the Center for Practical Bioethics, explains how legislators and officials in both states are working to ensure families can make practical preparations for end-of-life decisions.

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Healthcare Reform 2009

Bending the Cost Curve

Marcia Nielsen, PhD
Rene Bollier, MD

October 21, 2009
16 minutes 27 seconds

Bending the cost curve in healthcare -- what exactly does that mean? Is it possible? And how will that affect our healthcare?

Marcia Nielsen, vice chancellor of public policy at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Dr. Rene Bollier, a family practice physician in Kansas City, talk about it in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Health Coverage for All

Steve Roling, Healthcare Foundation of Greater Kansas City
William Pankey, MD, Swope Health Services

October 13, 2009
9 minutes 34 seconds

The second of four public forums on healthcare reform sponsored by the Center for Practical Bioethics took place October 13, 2009 in Kansas City. The focus – health coverage for all. Steve Roling of the Healthcare Foundation of Greater Kansas City and Dr. William Pankey of Swope Health Services talked about the forum in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Good Ethics Starts with Good Facts

Teresa Brooks- Polsinelli Shughart, PC
Max Skidmore, PhD- University of Missouri-Kansas City

October 6, 2009
13 minutes 50 seconds

The Center for Practical Bioethics kicked off its October 2009 series of public forums on healthcare reform with a session entitled “Good Ethics Start with Good Facts.” Two panelists from the program, Teresa Brooks, JD and Max Skidmore, PhD, talked about the forum in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Home Stretch for Health Reform

John Carney, vice president for aging and end of life
Center for Practical Bioethics
October 2, 2009

11 minutes 5 seconds

The health reform debate lurches into October with an uncertain prognosis. John Carney of the Center for Practical Bioethics gives an update and talks about a series of Center public forums on health reform in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

End of Life Scare II

John Carney
VP for Aging and End of Life
Center for Practical Bioethics

August 28, 2009

13 minutes 45 seconds

There is confusing language about advance care planning in the US House version of healthcare reform. But it is not inaccurate … and actually protects the interests of the elderly and disabled.

That’s according to John Carney, a vice president at the Center for Practical Bioethics. He talks about it in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

The End of Life Scare

Myra Christopher
President/CEO
Center for Practical Bioethics

August 3, 2009
14 minutes 44 seconds

Any health reform must address improving end-of-life care, and the pending legislation does that.

Now a group of people have latched onto this legislation and perverted its intent to try to scare the American public, especially older people, and defeat healthcare reform.   They claim that it is simply a way to euthanize the old, the frail, and the sick. 

Myra Christopher, president and CEO of the Center for Practical Bioethics, says that is simply untrue.

In this special edition of the Bioethics Channel, Christopher provides an in-depth explanation of what end of life provisions do and don't do in various healthcare reform proposals.

If we pervert this, we will all lose."

Myra Christopher, President/CEO, Center for Practical Bioethics

July 31, 2009

2 minutes 12 seconds

Over the last week or so opponents of healthcare reform have been latching on to end of life provisions in the House bill, claiming it would promote euthanasia among our nation's seniors.

In the July 3 edition of The Bioethics Channel, Myra Christopher and Dr. Christian Sinclair of Kansas City Hospice both expressed concern that the debate would turn in that direction.

This is not about trying to save money on the backs of dying people, Myra said.

Dr. Sinclair said he was hopeful end of life and palliative care would not become a buzzword subject to being demonized.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what has happened.

The Ethics of Rationing Healthcare

John Lantos, MD
July 10, 2009

12 minutes 45 seconds

Milton Friedman once said there is no such thing as a free lunch. Does that apply to healthcare? And does that mean the R word -- rationing --rationing will be a factor in healthcare reform?

John Lantos, MD, the John B. Francis Chair at the Center for Practical Bioethics, believes we already ration care in America. Find out more in this edition of the Bioethics Channel.

Health Reform & End of Life Care

Myra Christopher
Christian Sinclair, MD

July 3, 2009

15 minutes 32 seconds

President Barack Obama says he does not want to see bureaucracies making end of life decisions. Meanwhile, measures are being filed in Congress to address various aspects of end of life care.

Myra Christopher, president and CEO of the Center for Practical Bioethics, and Christian Sinclair, MD, of Kansas City Hospice, talk about the President's remarks and proposed legislative approaches to end of life care in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Healthcare Reform: Deja vu all over again?
John Lantos, MD
March 13, 2009

A young Democratic President with large Democratic majorities decided to tackle healthcare reform. 2009? No, the year was 1993 and Bill Clinton was president.

In this edition of The Bioethics Channel Dr. John Lantos describes his experiences as a member of the Clinton Task Force on Healthcare Reform ... and what we might expect from this effort led by President Barack Obama.

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Genetics, Jewish Diseases & Personalized Medicine

November 2-3, 2009
Kansas City, MO

If we can redesign ourselves – should we?

David Ewing Duncan

November 20, 2009
9 minutes 42 seconds

David Ewing Duncan is a best selling author and director of the Center for Life Science Policy at the University of California-Berkeley. In this You Tube interview, Duncan explores what cutting-edge technologies in personalized medicine can tell us about individual health … and life.

The Cultural Politics of Disease

Keith Wailoo, PhD
November 13, 2009

10 minutes 24 seconds

Keith Wailoo is the Director of the Center for Race and Ethnicity at Rutgers University and author of acclaimed books examining the cultural politics of disease in America. In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Dr. Wailoo explains the different cultural and clinical responses to diseases like Tay-Sachs and sickle cell.

Do our genes tell us who we are?

Jon Entine
American Enterprise Institute

November 6, 2009

Do our genes tell us who we are? That can be a controversial question, especially when intertwined with Jewish identity. In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Jon Entine of the American Enterprise Institute talks about the benefits and challenges of addressing this issue.

Genetics, Jewish Diseases and Personalized Medicine

John Lantos, MD

Director, Children's Mercy Bioethics Center
Holder of John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics

October 20, 2009

13 minutes 47 seconds

Advances in genetics change the way we think about health, disease and personal identity. That's the focus of a two day conference in Kansas City November 2-3, 2009.

Dr. John Lantos talks about the conference in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

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Pain Policy

A Program to Improve Pain Treatment

Ann Karty, MD
December 17, 2009
13 minutes 15 seconds

Pain is often undertreated. That's why the American Academy of Family Physicians has convened a unique group of organizations to offer a series of programs to educate providers on pain treatment.

Getting an "A" in Pain Policy

Robert Twillman, PhD
13 minutes 25 seconds

Kansas gets an “A” … Missouri a “C” for state policies addressing pain. What does that mean for physicians and patients when it comes to treating pain?

Dr. Robert Twillman explains in this edition of The Bioethics Channel. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Drugs, Ethics and the Quality of Life

Bruce White, MD

August 14, 2009
15 minutes 24 seconds

Physicians recognize treating pain as a moral and ethical duty. Then why are so many patients in pain?

Dr. Bruce White talks about it in this edition of the Bioethics Channel. He is the author of Drugs, Ethics and the Quality of Life.

The Ethics of Untreated Pain

Richard Payne, MD
June 5, 2009
15 minutes 37 seconds

Pain is too often left untreated and that is a serious public health issue. In this edition of the Bioethics Channel, Dr. Richard Payne of Duke University's Institute for Care at the End of Life describes the scope of problem and the obligations to treat pain.

New Policy Brief aims for Balance in Pain Investigations
Bill Colby, JD
14 minutes 13 seconds
February 19, 2009

A new policy brief suggests several key strategies to aid law enforcement faced with the complicated case of a doctor suspected of illegal conduct related to prescription drugs. The document is a key step in the Center's Balanced Pain Policy Initiative.

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Miscellaneous Topics

Making or Having a Baby: The Ethics of Genetic Testing

A decade ago Molly Nash made headlines when her parents had a baby brother to save her life. Are the ethics of that decision any more clear today than ten years ago?

Glenn McGee thinks not. He explains in this conversation with Lorell LaBoube on The Bioethics Channel. Dr. McGee holds the John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics at the Center for Practical Bioethics.

Link: Embryo genetic screening controversial - and successful, USA Today, January 10, 2010

Placebos: Deceptive or Legitimate?

Summer Johnson, PhD
December 15, 2009
15 minutes 10 seconds

The December 2009 issue of the American Journal of Bioethics is now available with target articles examining the ethics of using placebos in clinical practice. Executive editor Summer Johnson discusses the new edition with Lorell LaBoube of the Bioethics Channel.

Introducing: the new John B. Francis Chair in Bioethics

Glenn McGee, PhD
November 24, 2009

Glenn McGee, PhD, will assume the John B. Francis Endowed Chair in Bioethics on January 1, 2010. He follows John D. Lantos, MD. The chair was established in 2005 through a $3 million endowment from the Francis Family Foundation to the Center for Practical Bioethics.

In this edition of The Bioethcis Channel, Lorell LaBoube talks with Dr. McGee explains his philosophy and goals for the Francis Chair.

Medical Professionalism: What's trust -- not truth -- got to do with it?

Gary Pettett, MD
October 30, 2009

18 minutes 22 seconds

The physician patient relationship is changing … as is the concept of medical professionalism. Is it time to redefine what we mean by medical professionalism?

And how will that affect your relationship with your doctor.

Gary Pettett, MD, a neonatologist and a Fellow at the Center for Practical Bioethics explains in this edition of the Bioethics Channel.

Humor in Healthcare a Serious Business

Hob Osterlund, RN
11 minutes 54 seconds

The Center for Practical Bioethics honored nurses, social workers, chaplains and allied health professionals with Frontline Action Awards during activities September 8 in Kansas City.

Hob Osterlund, RN, palliative care nurse and nationally known humorist, presented her unique approach to health care before an audience of more than 200 people.

In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Hob explains how her comic character, Ivy Push, RN, reflects the absurdities that take place all too often in healthcare.

What happens to Jesus if I donate my heart?

Terry Rosell, DMin, PhD
Caitlin Belt

September 11, 2009
12 minutes 31 seconds

That's the title of a lecture scheduled for September 23, 2009 in Kansas City, by Terry Rosell, DMin, PhD, the Rosemary Flanigan Chair at the Center for Practical Bioethics.

Dr. Rosell and Caitlin Belt, an intern at the Center for Practical Bioethics, discuss religious influences on donating organs in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Ethics of Selling Eggs for Stem Cell Research

David Albertini, PhD
Kansas University Medical Center

Nancy Howell, PhD
St. Paul School of Theology

September 4, 2009
18 minutes 4 seconds

The state of New York has decided to pay women for donating eggs for stem cell research. What are the scientific implications of such a move? What are the ethical considerations?

David Albertini of the University of Kansas Medical Center and Doctor Nancy Howell of the Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City discuss the issue in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Introducing -- the Rosemary Flanigan Chair at the Center for Practical Bioethics

Rosemary Flanigan, PhD
Terry Rosell, DMin, PhD

August 7, 2009

13 minutes 57 seconds 

In 2006, the Center for Practical Bioethics announced the establishment of the Rosemary Flanigan Chair at the Center for Practical Bioethics. Three years later, the Center is ready to announce the first holder of that chair.

Rosemary Flanigan and Terry Rosell talk about the chair and what it means in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Celebrating with Frontliners

Karren King Crouch
Helen Emmott
Jane Rues
Dianne Shumaker

July 31, 2009

18 minutes 20 seconds

The Center for Practical Bioethics will honor nurses, social workers, chaplains and allied health professionals during an event September 8 from 6 to 8 pm at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri.

In this edition of the Bioethics Channel the four honorary co-chairs talk about their experiences with ethical issues in healthcare and how important it is to recognize healthcare professionals who work with patients and families and is a fundraiser for the Center.

For more information about Celebrating with Frontliners visit the Center's website at www.practicalbioethics.org.

The Ethics of Organ Transplants

Don't Just Stand There. Do Something.

Arthur Derse, MD, JD
July 17, 2009

15 minutes 19 seconds

Many of us have seen it -- the emergency room portrayed on television. Frantic. Quick decisions to save lives. At the same time, a place for end of life.

In this environment, how should emergency physicians address end of life issues?

Dr. Arthur Derse, the director of medical and legal affairs and associate director of the Medical College of Wisconsin's Center for the Study of Bioethics, addresses this question in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Religion. Healthcare Policy. Do the Twain Meet?

Rosemary Flanigan, PhD

June 24, 2009
11 minutes 47 seconds

What does it mean to have a “religious consciousness†and how does having such a consciousness affect our thinking as we deal with life and death issues as well as a host of bioethical issues facing us today?

In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Rosemary Flanigan, PhD explores how religion may affect healthcare policy. 

The Ethics of Care for Undocumented Immigrants

Sharon Lee, MD
David Grummon, JD

June 19, 2009
15 minutes 11 seconds

What is the ethical case for care of undocumented immigrants? In this edition of The Bioethics Channel, Dr. Sharon Lee, director of a safety net clinic in Kansas City, Kansas and attorney David Grummon discuss how should we talk about and address this challenge.  

Religion and Medicine: Compatible?

Farr Curlin, MD
John Lantos, MD

May 14, 2009
14 minutes 35 seconds

Should religion play a role in the practice of medicine? Drs. Farr Curlin and John Lantos have done extensive research into this question and share their views in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Balancing Faith and Politics
John C. Danforth
May 8, 2008
8 minutes 39 seconds

The Terri Schiavo case was outrageous and an extreme use of government. That's according to John Danforth, former US Senator and this week's guest on The Bioethics Channel. Senator Danforth provided the keynote address for the 25th anniversary dinner for the Center for Practical Bioethics on May 7, 2009.

Building a Bioethics Center

Mary Beth Blake and Hans Uffelmann
May 1, 2009

It began as a vision a quarter century ago. With medical technology accelerating rapidly, a healthcare attorney, a physician and a philosopher envisioned a place to consider the ethical implications of using this technology.

In this edition of The Bioethics Channel,  Mary Beth Blake and Hans Uffelmann describe how the Center for Practical Bioethics evolved into what it is 25 years later.  

Matching Physicians with Patients in Need

Tyler Brundige, MD
Jill Watson, Metropolitan Medical Society
April 24, 2009

Four years ago it was an idea. Two years later, it became a reality. It's the Northland Care/MetroCARE program, a specialty care network for the poor and uninsured in the Kansas City area.

Jill Watson of the Metropolitan Medical Society and Dr. Tyler Brundige talk about the program in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Hospital Ethics Committees: Then and Now

Rosemary Flanigan
April 17, 2009

Hospital ethics committees evolved in the late 1970s and into the 80s. In this edition of the Bioethics Channel, Rosemary Flanigan talks about how hospital ethics committees began and their future.

A Physician's Reflections on Bioethics

Robert Potter, MD
April 1, 2009

Dr. Robert Potter was a revered physician and medical educator in Kansas City for 30 years before moving to Oregon in 2004. In the decade prior to his departure, he served as a scholar and consultant for the Center for Practical Bioethics. In this edition of the Bioethics Channel, Dr. Potter reflects on bioethics then, now and in the future.

Trusting Our Differences
Helen Emmott
March 20, 2009

During its 25 years of service, the Center for Practical Bioethics has taken on a number of initiatives that continue to have impact in the daily work of medical professionals across the country.

One such project is Trusting Our Differences and Helen Emmott explains in this edition of The Bioethics Channel.

Sabbaths of Hope: Faith Leaders and Clinical Depression
Terry Rosell and Sue Lewis
15 minutes 14 seconds
March 6, 2009

People with depression often visit with clergy first before seeking professional help.

In this edition of the Bioethics Channel, Sue Lewis of the Mental Health Association of the Heartland and Terry Rosell of the Center for Practical Bioethics talk about Sabbaths of Hope,  an initiative aimed at enabling clergy and other faith leaders to address clinical depression in their communities.

Moral Dilemmas in Treating Babies Born at the Borderline of Viability
John Lantos, MD
February 13, 2009
12 minutes 44 seconds

Some babies born after just five months of pregnancy - as early as 22 weeks of gestation – can now survive.  Their chances for survival depend upon where they are born.  

A commentary in the February issue of Pediatrics examines that issue and its implications. In "Moral Reflections on Neonatal Intensive Care,"John Lantos, MD and William Meadow, MD, PhD, pose questions about these international and regional differences in treatment.

Their answers are disturbing. 

Link: News Release, Moral Dilemmas in Treating Babies Born at the Borderline of Viability, February 13, 2009

The Ethics of Octuplets
February 6, 2009
8 minutes 44 seconds

The controversial case of a woman bearing eight children has ethical implications for both the mother and the doctor at the IVF clinic. In this edition of The Bioethics Channel John Lantos, MD explains why this case has garnered national attention.

A Quarter Century of Practical Bioethics
February 3, 2009
14 minutes 53 seconds

The Center for Practical Bioethics is celebrating a quarter century of practical bioethics in 2009. This edition of The Bioethics Channel features Myra Christopher, Center president and CEO, talking about how the Center began and what the next 25 years will bring.