tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-340383382024-03-13T19:47:22.902-04:00The Catholic Medical StudentThe thoughts of a Catholic Medical StudentBrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-52874428931869319292011-10-11T08:32:00.003-04:002011-10-11T08:32:19.388-04:00Talk Given at Franciscan University of Steubenville: "Being Catholic in Medical School"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This talk was given by Brian J Burke at Franciscan University of Steubenville on October 7th, 2011. Mr. Burke is a fourth year medical student at the University of Toledo College of Medicine, and has served as the Vice President of the CMA-SS for the past year and a half. He will be pursuing a career as a family physician, and will begin his training this coming summer. Mr. Burke graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2007 with a degree in biology and theology.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span>Introduction</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Good morning to all of you.<span> </span>It is a real honor to be able to return and speak before you.<span> </span>It was not too long ago that I sat in those very seats, contemplating my future and all that lay before me.<span> </span>At that time, I never imagined the journey the Lord would take me on, particularly in regards to medical school and the like.<span> </span>My journey since I graduated in 2007 has been filled with many joys and some sorrows.<span> </span>I have felt lifted up and torn down.<span> </span>But through it all the Lord has guided me, and as I stand before you and reflect on that journey, I feel that I am a stronger man for it, and without a doubt, it has drawn me closer to the Lord.<span> </span>Today I wanted to take the time to talk to you a little bit about this journey.<span> </span>Namely, I will outline some of the challenges I have personally faced being Catholic in medical school, as well as other issues my Catholic colleagues have faced.<span> </span>But being Catholic in med school is more than just about being on the defensive, and so I want to also spend some time on how being a Catholic medical student has brought me greater skill and joy when caring for my patients.<span> </span>Throughout the talk, I will touch upon a subject I feel is extremely important for all of us, and that is the need for every Catholic professional to seek to be both technically and spiritually competent in their field, and I will explain more of this at that time.<span> </span>I will also discuss the ways that you can both find support in medicine as well as work to make a difference.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span>Challenges Faced</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Being Catholic surely does not make medical school or any other healthcare related job any easier.<span> </span>In fact, it makes it harder.<span> </span>The easy way is to go with the flow, and simply accept what mainstream medicine and our culture says is “okay” and the “appropriate thing to do for our patients.”<span> </span>But of course, all of you probably realize this and recognize that what the culture tells us does not make it the right thing to do.<span> </span>Going back to healthcare, those challenges and difficulties begin the moment you leave this campus and enter any job dealing with the care of the sick.<span> </span>For the sake of time, I will focus on medical school in this talk, but the ideas and challenges can be applied to any healthcare worker, especially nurses and pharmacists.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>So Let us begin with the process of getting into medical school.</span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Dr. Kuebler just recently publish an excellent article in the National Catholic Register.<span> </span>I hope all of you have had the opportunity read it, because it is the truth.<span> </span>This article is entitled </span><a href="http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/the-case-against-pro-life-physicians-bias-begins-at-med-school-interview/" style="color: #516080; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span>“The Case Against Pro-Life Physicians: Bias Begins at Med School Interview.” </span></a><span><span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Here are two short paragraphs I wish to quote:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em><span>“It is routine for medical-school admission interviews to include open-ended questions on ethical issues. Primarily, these questions are included in the process to see if students can articulate clearly and defend adequately their thoughts on complex issues. If this were the sole reason for their inclusion, questions about abortion and abortion access could play a legitimate role in the interview process. But that is often not the intent of such questions.</span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em><span>The reality is that many schools are using abortion-related questions to screen out pro-life candidates. This is despite the fact that federal law prohibits medical schools that receive federal funding from discriminating against candidates based upon their views on abortion. While the law prohibits explicit discrimination against pro-life candidates, it does not prohibit schools from inquiring about abortion during the interviewing process. Unfortunately, this situation creates a loophole big enough to drive a truck through.”</span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Getting into medical school is not easy for pro-life students.<span> </span>And this becomes even more difficult for faithful Catholics because not only can questions of abortion arise, but a pernicious interviewer could easily raise questions concerning contraception, sterilization, and end-of-life care.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>How do we face these types of situations?<span> </span>I think this is particularly pertinent for those of you who will be in this situation sooner than later.<span> </span>First of all, and this will be repeated in other situations, you must be knowledgeable.<span> </span>Why do you believe what you do?<span> </span>Know it.<span> </span>And not just what the Church teaches us.<span> </span>Of course this is extremely important for us to know, and to know well.<span> </span>But I am going to tell you a little secret about the people who do not want you to succeed: They do not care what the Catholic Church teaches.<span> </span>If your main argument against abortion, contraception, sterilization, etc is because it is against my faith, then I am telling you now, you will lose the fight.<span> </span>The best overall strategy I can offer you is two part: 1) Stay calm and maintain a respectful attitude.<span> </span>Losing your cool will only help the other person succeed in preventing you from entering medical school.<span> </span>2) Be able to explain your position using only medical and ethical, NOT religious, reasoning.<span> </span>I will tell you now that I try to never bring in the fact that I am Catholic as a reason for not participating in a procedure or action.<span> </span>The problem is that once you use that argument, the other party, even if they are Christian, will typically zone out and not listen to any subsequent defenses.<span> </span>I can expostulate eloquently on the medical risks and complications of abortion or contraception, but if I had first said that “it is because I am Catholic”, all of that will not be heard.<span> </span>In many cases, simply the fact that people know I am a faithful Catholic has hindered me.<span> </span>I don’t even say a word about it in these situations, but they already have preconceived misconceptions about why I will not prescribe contraception or perform/assist in abortions.<span> </span>In those cases my work is twice as hard. <span> </span>Now, I want to clarify that I do not mean that we hide our faith, but rather that we don’t hide BEHIND our faith.<span> </span>The wonderful thing about our Faith is that all that Holy Mother Church teaches on these medical issues is confirmed in the natural world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Now going back to the interview.<span> </span>What I just said is extremely important to remember.<span> </span>Now, as Dr. Kuebler talked about in his article, it isn’t as much about religion as the position of pro-life versus pro-abortion.<span> </span>However, as it stands, there is little we can do until our rights are better enshrined in law.<span> </span>What we CAN do is to speak eloquently and with love.<span> </span>Even if the interviewer disagrees with you and seems to be out to get you, it is extremely important that you stay calm.<span> </span>I know of several individuals who antagonized the interviewer as much as they were antagonized, and let’s just say that it did not end well.<span> </span>We must be different than our aggressors.<span> </span>When we show we are willing to hold our temper, to continue to be respectful, and still intelligently defend our position, we are more likely to succeed in softening their hearts, and possibly convincing them that we would ‘not be a threat’ or could ‘have our mind changed’.<span> </span>Now is this always going to work? No, but it has a much better of success than allowing yourself to become enraged at their provocations.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Once in medical school, the challenges you face become different.<span> </span>Life in medical school can be a bit challenging when faced with the variety of ethical and moral issues that come up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>During the first two years, you really are not in true clinical scenarios.<span> </span>This does not mean, however that you do not have challenges to face.<span> </span>Many schools now have lectures or even classes on medical ethics or related topics, in which you may find yourself in a bit of a pickle.<span> </span>Or you may be in lectures where abortion or contraception or even euthanasia is being touted as something good.<span> </span>So the question becomes, what do you do?<span> </span>You could simply keep your head down, telling yourself that once you are through med school, you can practice how you want to practice.<span> </span>This is one way.<span> </span>But there is another.<span> </span>I can remember a couple of different scenarios that came up.<span> </span>One was during my first year of medical school, during the behavioral science block.<span> </span>The lecture was on adulthood, and the instructor had touched up the progression of adult relationships, and had made the comment on how cohabitation was healthy step in a relationship, and that some couples may or may not progress to marriage, and then on to divorce (almost as if it were a given).<span> </span>Now, I took issue with this a bit, and so I raised my hand to ask if the instructor was familiar with the research that indicated that those who cohabitate prior to marriage have a higher incidence of divorce.<span> </span>The instructor basically brushed me off and ridiculed me saying he knew of no studies showing such a thing.<span> </span>Having my laptop handy, I did a quick lit search on pub med (an extremely important skill!) and found dozens of articles on this topic, and not just about the correlation of cohabitation and divorce, but of cohabitation and poverty, abuse, murder, and other issues.<span> </span>At the break, I went and talked to the instructor about this and when the class returned, he put me on the spot to share what I told him.<span> </span>I told the class that a simple lit search did in fact show cohabitation to be unhealthy for the relationship.<span> </span>Now, this was a very difficult thing to do. It exposed me to all of my classmates, and in fact upset several of them because, lo and behold, they were cohabitating with their significant other and felt ‘attacked and judged’ by me.<span> </span>This was an unfortunate consequence, this straining of the relationship with some of my classmates.<span> </span>But it was important to do.<span> </span>This instructor was spreading false information to future physicians who would then influence multitudes of others.<span> </span>Another situation I encountered was during my second year, during the reproductive physiology lecture.<span> </span>Now, being a Natural Family Planning instructor, I was quite curious to see how the topic of contraception and NFP would be approached.<span> </span>I had access to the previous year’s PowerPoint presentation and was able to scout things out.<span> </span>To my expectation, natural family planning was treated rather poorly, using the typical (and false) statistic of a 25% failure rate.<span> </span>Since I had a heads up this time, I actually emailed the individual giving the lecture to ask him about this in light of several articles I cited to him, which showed the success rate of 99%.<span> </span>After discussing this issue and the efficacy of lacational amenorrhea (and providing him with solid sources) he actually changed his presentation to be more NFP friendly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>These are just a couple of the times that I had to stand up and say “This is not right.”<span> </span>But when I did rise up, I tried to do it in the most respectful way possible.<span> </span>Did I get angry and upset at times? Absolutely! But I knew I needed to cool off before responding.<span> </span>And then I made sure that I knew what I was talking about.<span> </span>One of the worst things we can do, other than losing our cool, is to be caught with a bad or defenseless argument.<span> </span>So before you respond, if you are able, take the time to do a little reading, now what you want to say and have the sources to back it up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Now, you need to take these same steps during your clinical years.<span> </span>Only now, you will find yourself in situations where you are unable to say ‘I will get back to you on that’, but you will need to make a split second decision about how you will act.<span> </span>So the best way to handle this is to know what you will do and why you are doing it ahead of time.<span> </span>Let’s take a few examples.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>One of the most commonly encountered issues for Catholic medical students is contraception.<span> </span>Our culture accepts it as a given, and medicine is obviously no different.<span> </span>Many of you probably know that the only organized group of individuals that vocally rejects contraception is the Roman Catholic Church. That being said, you need to know why the Church teaches what she does.<span> </span><span> </span>Be familiar with</span><a href="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html" style="color: #516080; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><em><span>Humanae Vitae</span></em></a><span>, read up on the commentaries and instructions given by individuals like </span><a href="http://www.janetesmith.org/" style="color: #516080; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><span>Janet Smith</span></a><span> (her Contraception Why not?).<span> </span>But you also need to be up to date on the medical reasons why you would not prescribe contraception.<span> </span>This includes the risks associated, the side effects, the long term consequences on a woman’s health like breast cancer and infertility.<span> </span>You also need to know the ethical reasons.<span> </span>My main response is that I am not comfortable with causing a major, healthy, functioning organ to stop working. Basically I am causing a disease state in an otherwise healthy woman.<span> </span>This, too me, goes against the basic tenets of medicine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>I have found myself in these situations on several occasions.<span> </span>Most of the time I was able to avoid having to deal with it, but when I was unable to avoid a visit that was specifically about obtaining birth control, I had to calmly tell the physician I was working with that I was going to not go in on the visit because I was not comfortable with prescribing birth control.<span> </span>Most of the time the physician looked a bit confused, but would shrug his shoulders and go into the room without me.<span> </span>Other times I would see the eyes narrow, and the lips purse, and the physician ask, in a bit of a menacing way, “Why not?” And so I would have to explain myself, mainly with the reason I stated above.<span> </span>Sometimes this would turn into a more in depth discussion and I could venture into natural family planning as an alternative, and other times it ended there.<span> </span>I praise the Lord that I was never put in situation where I felt my grade was in jeopardy, but I know it has happened to others.<span> </span>Surprisingly, the people from whom I received the most flak about my stance on contraception were my fellow classmates.<span> </span>They were more cruel and intolerable than many of the physicians I have worked with, and some of the harder ones to respond to.<span> </span>And yet you do what you can in the way I have already outlined.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>One of my strengths in this area is the fact that I am a Natural Family Planning instructor.<span> </span>This was something I was able to offer as an alternative, if not to my patients in the clinic, then at least to the physician who questioned why I would not prescribe.<span> </span>Having a skill like this can be invaluable, not only because it is a tool to offer but because of the knowledge that you have because you took the time to learn about NFP.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Another issue, related to the contraception issue is sterilization.<span> </span>There are two forms of sterilization you will encounter in medicine, tubal ligation and vasectomy.<span> </span>Sterilization is one of the most common forms of birth control used in the United States.<span> </span>As such, you will undoubtedly find yourself having to make a moral choice about your participation in the sterilization of a patient.<span> </span>I have been faced with both tubals and vasectomies.<span> </span>I had an interesting experience in dealing with the vasectomy issue.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Early in my third year I was on my surgery rotation.<span> </span>It was a Friday afternoon of the first week with this particular surgeon, Dr. B. I had already rotated with the trauma service and the neurosurgeon at the University Hospital, and now I was assigned to small, community hospital. The week had gone great, with a variety of general surgery cases and now we were wrapping up the week with a few hours seeing patients in the office. As I reviewed the list of patients for the afternoon, I saw something that made my heart sink. The last patient of the day was scheduled to have a vasectomy performed. I had not anticipated this being a problem on surgery. In retrospect, I should not be too surprised, since a vasectomy is a surgical procedure. I suppose that since the male reproductive issues do not come up as often, I simply wasn't thinking about it. However, that quickly changed. <span> </span>After all of this came to my attention, I mentioned to my preceptor that I saw the last patient of the day was a vasectomy. I started to say "I hope you don't mind, but-", then I was interrupted by my preceptor saying "You would like to sit this one out? Not a problem." I said thank you, and we went on to see the next patient. When we returned to his office, he related to me that since coming to this hospital about 15 years ago he has done the majority of the vasectomies because the urologist in the hospital was a Catholic and would not do vasectomies. I again gave him my gratitude for understanding, and we left it at that.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Now I tell you this story, because I want you to realize the importance of standing up for your beliefs.<span> </span>Thanks to this urologist, I did not have to “deal” with that issue in this case.<span> </span>I have in other times, but in this situation, because someone had come before me and set the example, my life was a bit easier and my beliefs were already accepted.<span> </span>This is why I am here today, to encourage you and show you that a path has been laid out.<span> </span>It is not necessarily easy, but with each passing student, and each success we make a little headway in regaining our freedom to practice as Catholic physicians.<span> </span>We will come back to this later.<span> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Though I dodged this bullet, I did not dodge the bullet on tubal ligations.<span> </span>One night on labor and delivery, there was a tubal ligation scheduled for after the C-section I was assisting on.<span> </span>So I told the physician I would be stepping out of the room after the baby was born because I could not assist in the tubal.<span> </span>The physician turned to me with a bit of an antagonistic look and said “What do you mean by stepping out? Out of the room? Off the floor? Out of the hospital? Off the world?”<span> </span>I calmly replied that I would be stepping out of the room.<span> </span>He said “Fine”.<span> </span>So that is what I did, and despite the hard time he gave me, later in the evening he let me deliver the baby of one of his other patients and we had a fairly decent conversation.<span> </span>But that was a hard trial, because I was forced to go up against a well established OB/GYN. <span> </span>Here was a man who could make my life miserable, but I needed to follow my conscience and my beliefs.<span> </span>If I was willing to violate it now, how could I live with myself and know that in the future I would continue to do what is right by my patients?<span> </span>This is the challenge each of us faces in these situations.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>I have spoken of contraception and sterilization first because it has been my experience that these will be two areas in which you will be most challenged in clinical practice.<span> </span>As I said before, Catholics are the only unified voice that still speaks out against these practices, and so you will even find yourself unpopular on these topics with your protestant, pro-life colleagues.<span> </span>So you need to be well versed in why these actions are attacks on the human person and attacks on love.<span> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Next let me turn to the issue of abortion.<span> </span>A recent Guttmacher Institute study showed that 54% of abortions occur because another form of birth control failed.<span> </span>You will not learn this in medical school.<span> </span>No, you don’t learn a lot of things about abortion in medical school.<span> </span>Like the fact that women have greater risk of mental health issues after an abortion, or that it leads to increased rates of pre-term labor and other neonatal complications. Not to mention the surgical risk associated with the procedure.<span> </span>What you do learn is that this is a “Safe, healthy procedure that is legal in the United States and that it carries less risk than bringing a pregnancy to term.”<span> </span>For those of you active in the prolife movement, you may have heard some of these lies about how safe abortion is.<span> </span>Well, I am sad to say they are perpetuated at the highest level in medical school.<span> </span>So you may find yourself coming up against classmates and instructors on this issue.<span> </span>Again, know your stats, know your studies, know why the pro-abortion people are wrong in their science.<span> </span>When it comes to Ob/Gyn and embryology, you may need to do some extra reading in order to get a real education in this area, in order to get beyond the lies and falsities.<span> </span>I know I had to.<span> </span>Now, in regards to participation in abortion during your clinical years.<span> </span>This, praise the Lord, I have not been faced with, and I believe it is safe to say most medical schools are not going to put you into that position.<span> </span>If you go into OB/GYN and do a residency, the situation changes, but as of now, most schools will not force medical students to participate in abortions in any way.<span> </span>Now, that doesn’t mean there are not opportunities and you may here of classmates who do special electives or work with certain doctors who train them to do abortions.<span> </span>So, for now, you have some safeguards, but there is an area you need to consider, and that is the treatment of ectopic pregnancies.<span> </span>Ectopic pregnancies are rare, and difficult cases.<span> </span>Some treatments are morally acceptable and others are not.<span> </span>It is your responsibility as a medical student or nurse to know what the treatment is going to be on a given case.<span> </span>You do not want to be unwittingly assisting in a direct abortion.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Unfortunately, the pro-abortion, pro-death ideology is alive and well in medical school.<span> </span>I think you would be hard pressed to find a place where abortion, contraception, sterilization are not accepted as every day, good things.<span> </span>You will be taught in such a way to try and justify these procedures and drugs, and you will be taught that what the patient wants you should give.<span> </span>This is the tyranny of autonomy, the idea that whatever the patient wants, as long as it is legal, the patient should have access to.<span> </span>And this is why we end up fighting so many of our battles.<span> </span>Our medical education system continues to try to destroy any philosophical basis for our ethics, and replace it with an ethics based upon the legal system.<span> </span>As such, when we are faced with a situation where a patient is requesting something that is legal, but against our moral code, we are viewed by our colleagues as withholding a reasonable medical treatment from our patient, and thus violating the rights of our patients.<span> </span>Obviously we are not violating the rights of our patients in respecting our consciences, but this is what our culture is trying to paint us as doing.<span> </span>And so, even if you are never faced with an actual abortion, you will be challenged by those around you on why you would withhold a legal service from a patient.<span> </span>So be prepared to have these conversations, and to find yourself quite frustrated in them.<span> </span>But know that it is important to remain strong.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>A few other areas that you may encounter, mostly on the theoretical level unless you pursue certain fields of practice, are IVF and other reproductive technologies.<span> </span>I mention them to you because the conversations will arise, and you will be on the unpopular side if you stand with the Church, and so it is again important that you be well studied on these issues.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>At the other end of the spectrum on ethical issues is death and dying.<span> </span>Euthanasia is legal in three states, and appears to be gaining ground in other states.<span> </span>But euthanasia occurs more often than we think.<span> </span>Consider the issue of artificial nutrition and hydration.<span> </span>This is where a person receives food through a feeding tube and water through an IV line.<span> </span>Now, mainstream medicine has said that this is extraordinary care for an individual and so can be withdrawn at any time at the discretion of the physician and family.<span> </span>Yet the Church has emphatically stated that ANH is NOT extraordinary, but ordinary means of care and should never be withdrawn unless it is burdensome or harmful to the patient.<span> </span>I have encountered some situations where the very fine line on this has been very, very gray. So it is important for you to have a firm grasp of the Church’s understanding on the caveats surrounding ANH.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span>Joys Encountered</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>So I have spoken for quite awhile on the challenges of being Catholic in medical school.<span> </span>But there are many, many joys that come too.<span> </span>I look back at the past three years in awe at the way the Lord has lead me, and helped me grow stronger and closer to Him.<span> </span>I have found that my faith has been transformative in my understanding and practice of medicine.<span> </span>From the beginning of medicine, my views on suffering have been very different than my colleagues.<span> </span>Because of this, I am able to approach my patients not by viewing them as a disease process to be fixed, but rather an individual who has been given the gift of suffering, and it is my role to either alleviate that suffering and in doing so show the power of God, or to help the patient better understand their suffering so that they can grow in virtue and holiness because of it.<span> </span>Now I do not necessarily do this with overt words, but rather through my actions.<span> </span>If I take the idea that my suffering neighbor is Christ, and I love them in that way, so much good can come from that relationship, both for the patient and for myself.<span> </span>Another great joy comes from the struggles I talked of earlier.<span> </span>I am not speaking of joy begotten from strife with others, but of knowledge of the Truth.<span> </span>While your classmates may struggle with ethical issues, there is joy and peace that comes from have drawn your line in the sand and standing by it.<span> </span>That joy comes from trusting in the Lord and in the Church.<span> </span>You of course do your part to gain the knowledge necessary, but you can take solace in the Authority of the Magisterium, unlike many of your classmates, who in their relativism, are lost in these ethical conundrums.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Another great joy comes from finding fellow Catholics.<span> </span>This is not always an easy task, but now there are a growing number of Catholic groups on medical school campuses.<span> </span>And there is now a national group for Catholic medical students called the Catholic Medical Association Student Section.<span> </span>This is the group I have helped to start and been a part of the past two years.<span> </span>Even if you feel you are the only Catholic medical student who remains faithful to Catholic teaching at your school, this is a group where you can be in contact with other faithful Catholics from around the country.<span> </span>We also work to connect students with Catholic physicians who are members of the Catholic Medical Association, a national group of faithful Catholic physicians.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Other joys come to. Maybe they are better known as solaces, like I mentioned earlier.<span> </span>But many of us go into medicine, not because of the money, but because it is our calling, our vocation.<span> </span>And when you have an understanding and commitment to that idea, your whole outlook changes.<span> </span>The way you approach your studies, your exams, your patients, the long hours in the hospital, all of this has a new meaning because you know that what you are doing is in the service of the Lord.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span>Achieving Excellence</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>This brings me to my next point I want to discuss:<span> </span>The need for excellence.<span> </span>As we move forward as Catholics, the pressure upon us to conform to the culture is only increasing.<span> </span>When I look around, I recognize that the easier way is to conform, to give in and do what my professors and colleagues, and the culture want me to do.<span> </span>But I know this is not what I must do.<span> </span>I know that the Lord is calling me to remain faithful to Him.<span> </span>But you know, it is not enough to just get by, to quietly keep my head down and ‘wait until I am established in practice to be a Catholic doctor.’<span> </span>I talked a little bit about an experience of having the way made easier because another Catholic had set the example.<span> </span>Imagine if all the Catholics out there made their voices heard and set the example?<span> </span>Perhaps we could shift the tide in medical ethics, and we would no longer have to fight these battles.<span> </span>But it isn’t that easy.<span> </span>Consider yourselves for a moment.<span> </span>Would you listen to someone who didn’t know what they were talking about?<span> </span>Would you have much respect for them if you knew that half the things they said were wrong?<span> </span>Probably not.<span> </span>The same goes for you and me.<span> </span>Do you think the world is going to listen to you on issues of faith and morals or good medical practice if you play the fool? <span> </span>Even if you have the most theologically sound mind and the tongue of Chrysostom, if you don’t have the technical knowledge in medicine, you will not have the respect, and no one will listen.<span> </span>We must have competence, both theologically/morally and technically (in our respective fields of medicine).<span> </span>We must rise up as the top students in our class, as the best residents in our program, and the best doctors in our communities.<span> </span>When you have technical authority, your voice gains greater strength, and the respect for you grows.<span> </span>It makes sense doesn’t it? If you are an incompetent physician who tends to lose the trust of your patients medically, how will people trust you when you speak on things like NFP, contraception, sterilization, abortion?<span> </span>So, your job begins now.<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>In order to even get into medical school, you need to be competitive when it comes to grades, experience, research, and the like.<span> </span>But more than just getting accepted, the classes at FUS will prepare you and make med school easier. So pay attention!<span> </span>Work hard!<span> </span>Get good grades now, so that in med school, the pressure is a little less.<span> </span>I found that I was extremely well prepared for the first year of med school because I had already been through Cell phys, biochem, immuno, developmental, neuro, and the like.<span> </span>And do research! When you have papers published (I have three in scientific journals, and one in bioethics), it increases your clout.<span> </span>And you know what else you need to do? Study theology.<span> </span>This is the best place on the planet to study both theology and biology, so don’t waste that opportunity.<span> </span>You need more than just Intro and Christian moral principles.<span> </span>Take advantage so that you can use your knowledge TO your advantage later on.<span> </span>I have never regretted my theology degree.<span> </span>It has been immensely helpful in my medical decision making, my conversations, and my general spiritual life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Once in med school, you need to be on top of your game and to do as well as you can.<span> </span>Now I throw in a caveat.<span> </span>I do not recommend you study so hard, and so much, that you do not have time for a life or for the other work the Lord places in your path.<span> </span>Balance is key.<span> </span>It is hard to find, and is very individual, but you must be both competent academically and socially.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>For my part, I am married.<span> </span>And this has helped a lot in that regard.<span> </span>My bride is a FUS grad, we met here, courted here, and were married at St. Peter’s.<span> </span>We now have a 2 ½ year old son and another coming in December.<span> </span>As an aside, I encourage anyone in a serious relationship to consider marriage before med school (without rushing things of course).<span> </span>It has its challenges, but all in all, the married ones make better students and better physicians and it is very doable.<span> </span>Let me know at the end of the talk if you have more questions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Back to competence.<span> </span>So I talked about doing well in your studies, both now and in med school.<span> </span>It requires a lot of reading, but it is well worth it.<span> </span>Now, just to be clear, when I say be competent and top of your class, I do not mean you turn into what we call the “gunner”.<span> </span>That guy who always answers the questions and tries to make others look bad.<span> </span>You also need to have a life.<span> </span>So find the balance.<span> </span>Practice that now, and remember those tricks in med school.<span> </span>Most importantly, take it seriously.<span> </span>This is the rest of your life, it is your calling, your vocation, and you may very well answer before the Lord on how you used your time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>There are things you will not learn in med school that are very pertinent to medicine.<span> </span>Things like natural family planning.<span> </span>You will be questions by your family and friends on things like vaccines, and end of life care.<span> </span>You will need to do extra reading to be able to have some authority in these areas.<span> </span>Moreover, certifications are great.<span> </span>Going through programs like Creighton or the couple to couple league (for those who are married) to become NFP instructors.<span> </span>Just recently I was able to use my certification as a NFP instructor to give a lecture to the family medicine residents at a local, secular hospital on natural family planning. <span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span>Finding Support</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>You also need support.<span> </span>This is not a journey you can make alone, no matter how strong you are or how hard you try.<span> </span>I have witnessed students, good people, break trying to do so.<span> </span>It is important to find community, even if it is outside of the medical school.<span> </span>Look for parishes, look around in your class.<span> </span>See who responds when you say something, or who comes to pro-life events.<span> </span>It is a slow process, but eventually you might find someone who shares your beliefs.<span> </span>I know that over the course of 6 months I found two other men in my class who wanted to know more about their Catholic faith, and they came to me because I spoke out in discussions.<span> </span>Beyond just your med school, which may or may not have a decent Catholic students group, there is the Catholic Medical Association Student Section, which I mentioned earlier.<span> </span>Become an active Catholic.<span> </span>Be active in your school, your parish, and your community.<span> </span>It is amazing the opportunities and gifts the lord will give.<span> </span>I never imagined that during med school I would be here giving this talk, or giving the other talks I have given back in Toledo, or traveling to Rome for medical conferences at the Vatican, or being an advisor on medical ethics to several priests in my diocese.<span> </span>The Lord has opened doors because I responded to His call, and He will do the same for you when you pursue your vocation with prayer and willingness.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><span>Conclusion</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>I have tried to talk to you all about several different issues.<span> </span>I wanted to first make you aware of what challenges lay in your path, and also what joys you might be able to expect.<span> </span>I want to reemphasize that you need to know your stuff.<span> </span>This means extra studying in areas beyond what you might be tested on, but it will serve you and the Church well.<span> </span>And remember, you are not alone.<span> </span>There are organizations, like the CMA-Student Section where you can find others for support.<span> </span>You can also check out the CMA-SS blog, which has many posts about some of these experiences and ways to become stronger Catholic physicians.<span> </span>Also, reach out to other pro-life students in groups like Med Students For Life.<span> </span>And most of all, do not be afraid to live out your faith.<span> </span>You never know when the battle you fight now may change the life of another person who comes after you.<span> </span></span></div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-70219401970259966332011-08-31T16:49:00.002-04:002011-08-31T16:49:29.741-04:00MaterCare Conference Day 1<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Lord be praised! I write to you all from the Vatican after the first evening session of the MaterCare International 8<sup>th</sup> annual meeting.<span> </span>This year the conference is focusing on “The Dignity of Mothers and Obstetricians: Who on Earth Cares!”<span> </span>That last part may be a bit jarring for most, and rightly so.<span> </span>In the words of Bogdan Chazan, chairman of the Matercare International Advisory Council,</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 31.5pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">This dramatic question is to wake us.<span> </span>To make us aware of the range and size of the world epidemic of perinatal deaths of mothers and children….we have the right – and even the duty – to draw our attention to the drama of the situation of societies, families and children, where mothers die.<span> </span>An improvement of the care for mothers and their children is not only an issue for governments and non-government organizations.<span> </span>Doctors, midwives, and nurses should treat their duties in obstetrics not only through the narrow lens of maternal-fetal medicine.<span> </span>We should treat this beautiful medical specialty more broadly, rather as medicine of maternity.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This meeting is designed to bring about that paradigm shift and for the participants to learn the facts concerning OB/GYN care around the world, and to learn concrete steps that can be taken to help make this a reality.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Now, I am sure many are wondering, who is MaterCare International? MCI is a group of Catholic obstetricians and gynecologists who have adopted a preferential option for mothers and babies.<span> </span>MCI’s mission is to carry out the work of Evangelium Vitae by supporting their colleagues and improving the lives and health of mothers and babies both born and unborn. They seek to do this through new initiatives in service, training, research, and advocacy designed to reduce the tragic levels of abortion worldwide and maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity in developing nations.<span> </span>MCI is also the obstetric and gynecologic arm of the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (FIACM).<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This conference has drawn quite a group of speakers and participants, and I look forward to sharing more of the conference. <span> </span>Just a few names you might recognize: Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, Dr. Donna Harrison, of AAPLOG, Mike O’Dea of Christus Medicus, and many others from around the world. So please, continue to check back and don’t forget to follow live updates on twitter @Cathmedstudents and on Facebook at www.facebook.comcatholicmedicalstudents</div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-70675075511840757912011-07-18T20:24:00.002-04:002011-07-18T20:24:54.237-04:00Why Natural Family Planning should be Mandatory in Marriage Preparation<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">With Natural Family Planning (NFP) Awareness Week coming up (July 24-July 30), we wanted to share a few thoughts on NFP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a teaching couple, we have heard many arguments for and against NFP and whether or not it should be a mandatory part of marriage preparation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the great misunderstandings concerning NFP is that many individuals consider its purpose to be only a natural method to avoid pregnancy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, NFP is extremely useful and efficient in this regard, but in reality, learning about NFP and Fertility Awareness is so much more than simply learning how to avoid pregnancy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let us look at a few reasons why learning NFP is so important in our day and age.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Medical Benefits<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">The simple act of charting can have immense medical benefits for the woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both in our medical experience and in our Natural Family Planning course, we have seen many women who have experienced tremendous paybacks as a result of recording their fertility signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this experience is not simply ours alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One only needs to talk to all of the women who have been helped by Dr. Hilgers at the Pope Paul VI Institute to find out how the act of charting opened the doors to cures and solutions of their cycle and pregnancy related medical issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether using the Creighton Model, the Symptothermal or any other method, a couple who is charting can detect hormonal imbalances, infertility, nutritional deficiencies, cancers, and a variety of cycle issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These same couples, through charting, can reduce their need for unnecessary interventions during an infertility workup, or during pregnancy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider that if a couple knows the date of conception through charting, a very accurate due date can be determined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This saves the couple from needing an ultrasound to determine the due date, and can save many dangerous interventions at the end of the pregnancy since the parents and physician can know with great accuracy when to expect the baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a couple who had a history of charting, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were to consult a physician due to difficulties with either the woman’s menstrual cycle or achieving pregnancy, so much more information can be made available to the doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without this information, the doctor may not be able to offer as much assistance, or require the woman to undergo many invasive procedures in order to ascertain the root cause of the problem.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Formation of the Lost Sheep<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">It is obvious that the knowledge of NFP can be truly helpful to many couples experiencing medical difficulties. This is not the only reason, however that we feel that the message of NFP is so badly needed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sad reality of today is that, out of those couples who wish to be married in the Church, an overwhelming majority of them are already cohabitating and on the pill. There has been a huge gap in the moral formation of the past two generations and their views on sexuality have been largely formed by the secular culture. The results of this influence have been disastrous. During the morality sections of our class, we have a unique opportunity in reaching out to these couples to educate them in the truth and beauty of human sexuality and to encourage them to embrace God’s design for marriage. Once they understand their dignity as human persons and the nature of love, they begin to see children as a much desired blessing rather than a terrible burden. As in any type of conversion, changing a person’s view on sexuality is a process. We have seen time and again how the Holy Spirit does work in miraculous ways on the hardest of hearts through the message of NFP and watched as relationships have transformed before our very eyes. Many couples have even expressed outrage that no one had ever told them these things before. Through our students we have recognized a burning desire for this message, and a readiness to challenge the unsatisfying lies of the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the majority of those couples, they never would have been exposed to the fullness of the teaching of the Church, had their pastor not required it for their marriage preparation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Achieving Pregnancy<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Recent studies have shown that 80% of couples who use a fertility awareness method to time intercourse will conceive within 6 months of trying, and over 90% by 12 months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Hilgers has shown in his work that 98% of couples in one study were pregnant within one year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Studies have also shown that at the end of 3 years, over 60% of couples with subfertility will conceive if they use a fertility awareness method.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has a better efficacy (and lower cost) than IVF and many of the other assisted reproductive technologies.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">In today’s society, where children are viewed to be more a burden than blessing, where the majority of physicians do not respect a moral approach to reproduction, and where so many women experience cycle issues, how can we not expose couples to this information?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if they choose not to use NFP at that time, they might face a situation in which they may need to turn to it later in their marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A course in NFP may be one of the greatest opportunities a couple has to learn about the beauty of married life and the marital act, and the blessing that children truly are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By requiring a course in NFP, those being prepared for marriage are being given a great gift of knowledge that they will be able to carry with them for their entire lives.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brian and Johanna Burke are a certified teaching couple in the Symptothermal Method for the Couple to Couple League and teach in the Diocese of Toledo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brian is a fourth year medical student at the University of Toledo, planning a career in family medicine, and is also the Vice President of the Catholic Medical Association Student Section.<o:p></o:p></i></div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-50149528010902230902011-06-14T13:33:00.002-04:002011-06-14T13:33:17.928-04:00The Medicinal Gifts of the Holy SpiritWe are currently in the Octave of Pentecost, a time of celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit and the wonderful gifts the Spirit gives to us. These gifts are so important to the physician in caring for a patient, and as caregivers, we must take a moment and pray that the Holy Spirit will come upon us. Let us reflect on how the gifts of the Holy Spirit are pertinent to our profession:<br />
<br />
1. <strong>Wisdom: </strong>is the first and highest gift of the Holy Spirit, because it is the perfection of faith. Through wisdom, we come to value properly those things which we believe through faith. The truths of Christian belief are more important than the things of this world, and <em>wisdom helps us to order our relationship to the created world properly</em>, loving Creation for the sake of God, rather than for its own sake. We must pray for wisdom so that our faith may be deepened and our actions towards our patients reflective of the love of Christ given to us through our faith.<br />
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2. <strong>Understanding: </strong>In understanding, we comprehend how we need to live as a follower of Christ. A person with understanding is not confused by all the conflicting messages in our culture about the right way to live. The gift of understanding perfects a person's speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. It is the gift whereby self-evident principles are known, Aquinas writes. As physicians, we must continue to pray for deeper understanding of the will of God and His Truths. We must continue to seek a deeper understanding of how, through all of the ethical dilemmas and conflicts we encounter, we are to continue to live out God's will and be a beacon of love and Truth to our patients.<br />
3. <strong>Counsel: </strong>With the gift of counsel/right judgment, we know the difference between right and wrong, and we choose to do what is right. A person with right judgment avoids sin and lives out the values taught by Jesus. This gift is so important for us as we make decisions that impact both our moral lives and the moral lives of our patients. We must be able to clearly see and choose the Good in each situation, even when the path is unclear. This is a gift we must constantly seek from the Spirit.<br />
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4. <strong>Fortitude</strong>: With the gift of fortitude/courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus Christ. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or even physical harm and death. The gift of courage allows people the firmness of mind that is required both in doing good and in enduring evil, especially with regard to goods or evils that are difficult. Again, this is a gift that we constantly are in need of in our every day practice. We must have courage to take the risks involved with standing for the Truth and telling our patients and colleagues what is Right and Good.<br />
<br />
5. <strong>Knowledge:</strong> With the gift of knowledge, we understand the meaning of God. This gift is more than just the accumulation of facts (something physicians are pretty good at). It is seeing in this accumulation of facts the deeper truth evident in this world and coming to know how these facts fit into the grander picture that Lord has painted for us. We must pray that the Spirit will help us to know not only the medical facts to care for the patient, but also the personal and spiritual knowledge we need in order to fully heal this person and help them return or come to know the Lord.<br />
6. <strong>Piety: </strong>With the gift of reverence, sometimes called piety, we have a deep sense of respect for God and the church. A person with reverence recognizes our total reliance on God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love. Piety is the gift whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father, Aquinas writes. As physicians, we must continue to show reverence to the Lord not only in our worship, but in our everdya life, knowning that God is the one who has placed us in our position of healing, and that all of this comes from Him.<br />
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7. <strong>Fear of the Lord: </strong>With the gift of fear of the Lord we are aware of the glory and majesty of God. A person with wonder and awe knows that God is the perfection of all we desire: perfect knowledge, perfect goodness, perfect power, and perfect love. Through this gift, the Spirit can help us to recognize with wonder and amazement the beauty of the human person. We must approach our patients with this awe, recognizing them as creations of our most perfect Lord, and as such, worthy of our utmost care and respect.<br />
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I hope these brief reflections will help us all seek the gifts of the Spirit as we approach our patients and continue to be witnesses of the Lord's love and truth in our profession.BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-40195544380095289502011-05-10T08:07:00.002-04:002011-05-10T08:07:41.984-04:00Right Place At the Right Time<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">On my way home from work, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I was nearly home when I saw that there was an accident up ahead. As I passed by, I saw that there was a man lying in the turn lane, and a mangled bike further down the road, and an SUV with a smashed in windshield. Seeing that no EMS or Firemen had arrived yet, I pulled into my street, grabbed my stethescope and bag and ran back to the scene of the accident. The man was lying on the ground, awake and agitated, so I quickly started talking to him in order to check his airway, then I listened to his lungs to make sure he had decent breath sounds and heart sounds, then I looked him over for any major bleeding. Next I started to do a quick assessment of his neuro status. I wanted to make sure he was coherent and to find out if he had any major deficits (he was wearing a helment and complained of back pain). Around this point, I heard the sirens of the fire department headed our way. The firemen and then EMS arrived, took over, and brought him to the University Hospital just around the corner. In the end, the man will be okay and just had some scrapes and bruises.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This whole incident really made me think twice. When I made the decision to go help, everything went very fast. My medical training, my time spent working on the trauma team, everything kicked in and I just started to automatically go through the routine in stabilizing this patient until help could arrive. I was very grateful that I could be in just the right place at the right time. I could see the Lord's hand in this. He was giving me the opportunity to help this man, this complete stranger. I think of a combination of the teachings of our Lord which brings together the idea of using the talents the Lord has given us with the story of the good samaritan. We ought to be ready at any moment to give aid when it is needed, to friends and strangers alike. This is especially true of those who have training that is more than the general public might have. In my case, the man was okay, but he could have easily broken his back, or punctured a rib, or been bleeding profusely and I may have had to call upon more of my knowledge in order to preserve his life until the medics could get him to the hospital. But not every life saving action requires a man hit by a car. In our everyday life, a simple word or act of kindness may mean the difference between real life and death, between heaven and hell for an individual. You have a special talent, one that is more important than any medical knowledge at the scene of the accident, you have the gift of the knowledge of Christ and His love. Be sure to use this gift and do not squander it. In thie everyday actions of life, you just might become a lifesaver.</div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-59614596813600633932011-03-07T13:15:00.000-05:002011-03-07T13:15:09.260-05:00Full Circle<h3 style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-transform: none;"><br />
</h3><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Lord is constantly moving in our lives, and He has made that evident to me once again. This past Friday, I finished up my time on the inpatient general medicine service, I had an experience that I am still contemplating and praying about. It concerns a patient that I saw, but Friday was not the first time I had encountered this individual. Last November, when I was doing a general surgery rotation at a community hospital outside of Toledo, I encountered Mr. L during an office visit. Several months prior, he had a neuroendocrine tumor removed from his left forearm. It apparently was not very large and seemed to be the only spot of cancer. When I saw him in the office, he was complaining of a very large mass in his left axilla. The mass had developed rapidly over the course of a couple of days and he and his wife had become quite concerned. The surgeon, being a surgeon, took a tissue sample and sent it off. On the last day of my rotation with this doctor, we recieved the pathology report stating that mass was neuroendocrine tissue. We were both very surprised because this was unusual behavior for this type of tumor. In any case, the surgeon stated he would be referring the patient to the University Hospital due to its location, size, and type of tissue. I thought nothing more of the case as I moved on to my next clerkship. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Fast forward three full months. I am now on my last day of inpatient general medicine at the local Catholic hospital (I will use the term Catholic loosely in this case), and we are just starting rounds with the attending. He tells the team that he has a private patient in the neuro intesive care unit, and that we may either join him or meet him on the wing where our first teaching patient is residing. We all decided to go ahead and follow our attending upstairs to the ICU. A fateful decision this would be. When we arrived in the unit, I followed the doctor to see his patient. The brief history I gathered from our attending was that several days prior, the patient had gone to bed perfectly normal, and awoke the next morning unable to move his legs or his right arm. The patient was understandably very distressed and he was taken to his local hospital where an MRI was done. The MRI showed a mass in the cervical spine compressing the spinal cord. He was rapidly transferred to the Catholic hospital, a major hospital in my city, for more specialized care. As I come to discover, this was Mr. L whom I had seen 3 months prior for a mass in his axilla. As it was related to me, Mr. L had the mass removed by a University physician shortly after I had seen him. I do not know the interim history, but in the end the cancer had come back very aggressively. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I was shocked by all of this. I told my attending that I had seen this patient before, and he made the remark 'Now you have seen him full circle.' It is this remark that I have been contemplating. Through all of this I can see the Lord's hand at work, placing me in just the right place at just the right time in order for this series of events to occur. But I ask myself, what is the Lord showing me? Why does he want me to see this man go from being very functional to being confined to an ICU bed, scared and in pain? The answer is one that I think will take a long time to fully realize, but I believe that the Lord has started to show me something very profound and important: Man will suffer and sometimes there is very little that we can do physically for him. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This may seem like a 'Of course!' type of statement, but I think it is much more difficult to grasp than we realize. For those who have been in situations of extreme physical or mental suffering, we can think of those moments where we wanted nothing else than for that pain to be gone. For some, they would give anything for a moment of relief. And for others, they have given everything, including their soul, seeking escape from suffering, yet only to find themselves in even more dire circumstances.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span>Suffering is the paramount problem of man’s existence.<span> </span>“Illness and suffering have always been among the graves problems confronted in human life.<span> </span>In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude.<span> </span>Every illness can make us glimpse death." (CCC 1500)<span> </span>It is through the action of Adam and Eve that sin was brought into the world, and with it, suffering and death.<span> </span>The story of man’s attempt to evade both suffering and death is the stuff of ageless legends and the impetus to seek both the ancient and modern remedies that might stave off such a fate.<span> </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span><span>And yet, what does suffering do for man? Consider the word's of St. Paul </span></span>in his letter to the Colossians of the relationship of suffering and the Cross.<span> </span>He says, “I fill up in my body what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ, for the sake of his body which is the Church.”1<span> </span>This reflects the new meaning of the suffering of man.<span> </span>No longer is it simply the curse, but now it is the blessing of God.<span> </span>Just as the doctor takes part of the salvific mission of the Church through the ministry to the sick, those who are sick and suffering take part in the redeeming mission of Christ.<span> </span>In the words of John Paul II, “On the cross, Christ made his own all the weight of evil and took away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29), of which sickness is but a consequence.<span> </span>By his passion and death on the cross, Christ has given new meaning to suffering: now it can configure us to him and unit us with his redemptive passion.”2<span> </span>By his death and resurrection, Christ has redeemed the world.<span> </span>In that action he has allowed the suffering man to partake in that redemption and within this new meaning of suffering for the Christian, there is a threefold salvific attitude that exists:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>an ‘awareness’ of its reality ‘without minimizing it or exaggerating it’; ‘acceptance,’ ‘not with a more or less blind resignation’ but in the serene knowledge that ‘the Lord can and wishes to draw a good from evil’; ‘the oblation,’ ‘made out of love for the Lord and one’s brothers and sisters.’3 </em></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">To consider these three points in another way, one can use the words knowledge, trust, and action.<span> </span>In that awareness there is knowledge of the nature of the illness and suffering and of the cross which is to be borne.<span> </span>This is critical, because as Pope John Paul II (from whom this threefold salvific attitude comes) said, the patient neither wants to minimize or exaggerate it, but rather embrace it as it truly is.<span> </span>Through the acceptance there must be a trust in the Lord.<span> </span>The patient must realize that the Lord came “so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”4<span> </span>Suffering is not a cruel punishment but a means of salvation, and so the patient must rejoice in the opportunity to suffer because it is from the Lord, from whom all good things come.<span> </span>The third part of this attitude is action.<span> </span>The oblation of which John Paul speaks requires that action must be taken.<span> </span>It may only be an interior movement of the will, but nonetheless it is essential for this suffering to be fruitful.<span> </span>The patient needs to consciously make the decision to offer up this suffering on behalf of the body of Christ.<span> </span>In this way, not only will the graces be obtained, but the psychological affect will be greater.<span> </span><strong style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold;"><em>Through his suffering, the patient has entered into the redemptive act of Christ and it is the physician’s role to help orientate the patient towards this end.</em></strong></div><div><br clear="all" /><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div id="ftn1"><div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 Col 1:24</div></div><div id="ftn2"><div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 <em>Discourse in Lourdes,</em> August 15, 1983, n.4 found in <em>The Charter for Health Care Workers,</em> p. 59,<span> </span>also found in CCC 1505.</div></div><div id="ftn3"><div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3 <em>The Charter for Health Care Workers</em>, 54.</div></div><div id="ftn4"><div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">4 John 10:10</div></div></div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-78110517297560995132011-02-19T17:36:00.002-05:002011-02-19T17:36:25.434-05:00Obama Administration Rescinds Bush Era Conscience Protection<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="font-weight: bold;">"The Obama administration on Friday rescinded most of a 2008 rule that granted sweeping protections to health care providers who opposed <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/surgery/abortion/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" mce_href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/surgery/abortion/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Abortion.">abortion</a>, sterilization and other medical procedures on religious or moral grounds. <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/kathleen_sebelius/index.html?inline=nyt-per" mce_href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/kathleen_sebelius/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Kathleen Sebelius.">Kathleen Sebelius</a>, the secretary of health and human services, said <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E4DD1338F93BA25752C1A96E9C8B63&scp=1&sq=stuart%20ishimaru&st=cse" mce_href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E4DD1338F93BA25752C1A96E9C8B63&scp=1&sq=stuart%20ishimaru&st=cse" title="A Times article about the rule.">the rule</a>, issued in the last days of the Bush administration, could 'negatively impact patient access to <a class="meta-classifier" href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/birth-control-and-family-planning/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" mce_href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/birth-control-and-family-planning/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Birth control and family planning.">contraception</a> and certain other medical services.'"</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">These are the words of the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/19/health/policy/19health.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper" mce_href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/19/health/policy/19health.html?_r=2&ref=todayspaper">NY Times article</a> detailing the Obama administration's latest action concerning the Bush Era conscience protection measures that finally gave teeth to the Church and Weldon amendments that specifically protected health care workers from being forced to assist or perform abortions. Previoulsy the commentary on the HHS regulations had read:</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="font-style: italic;">The ability of patients to access health-care services, including abortion and reproductive health services, is long established and is not changed in this rule. Instead, this rule implements federal laws protecting healthcare workers and institutions from being compelled to participate in, or from being discriminated against for refusal to participate in, health services or research activities that may violate their consciences, including abortion and sterilization, by entities that receive certain funding from the department. (It also implements the provisions of federal law which protect health-care personnel from being discriminated against for their participation in any lawful health service or research activity, including abortion and sterilization, by entities that receive certain funding from the department.)</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">This is quite contrary to the tune that Kathleen Sebelius, the current director of HHS is singing. The new rule will maintain an office for complaints to be filed, but given that the Obama administration has effectively ignored the the Bush Rule that was in place for the past 2 years, it is doubtful that this office will do much of anything when a nurse, student, or physician is pressured by an employer or school to assist or perform in an abortion. The <a href="http://www.cathmed.org/students/students_blog/adf_makes_gains_for_freedom_of_conscience_in_vanderbilt_case/" mce_href="http://www.cathmed.org/students/students_blog/adf_makes_gains_for_freedom_of_conscience_in_vanderbilt_case/">Vanderbilt Case</a> is a good example. More and more pressure is being applied to health care providers to simple 'go with the flow' and do whatever the patient desires in regard to abortion and contraception. We are losing our rights, and in losing our rights, the patient is losing theirs.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">In 2009 I wrote a paper for the <a href="http://www.cathmed.org/issues_resources/linacre_quarterly/" mce_href="http://www.cathmed.org/issues_resources/linacre_quarterly/">Linacre Quarterly</a> entitled <span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://lq.cathmed.metapress.com/content/x877510l8267h201/?p=b7160ece16a2486eab0aae30cb9d441d&pi=5" mce_href="http://lq.cathmed.metapress.com/content/x877510l8267h201/?p=b7160ece16a2486eab0aae30cb9d441d&pi=5">The Loss of a Physician's Freedom of Consicence will Result in the Breakdown of Patient Autonomy within the Doctor-Patient Relationship.</a> </span>In this article I wrote:</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="em" mce_style="font-style: italic;" style="font-style: italic;">The doctor-patient relationship is founded upontrust. The patient must trust the doctor to keep confidentiality, to respect his autonomy, and to do the patient good. The doctor must trust that the patient is telling him the complete information and will follow the treatment plan. Without trust, effective health care is not going to occur. How does the conscience fit in with trust? Take, for example, an individual who is a Jehovah’s Witness. The patient is in a situation where the doctor is recommending a blood transfusion, but the doctor also knows that this individual will not take a blood transfusion because it would be a violation of their conscience. The patient must trust the doctor to respect their conscience and thus their autonomy. If the patient does not feel that a doctor would respect their autonomy, then an effective relationship will not be established and the patient will be in fear of what the doctor may do. However, one key way that a patient can know that a doctor will respect their conscience and autonomy is by seeing that the doctor respects and adheres to his own conscience. How could a patient trust a doctor to respect his own wishes if the doctor is willing to violate that very faculty that is supposed to help him recognize truth and act according to it? It would seem that most patients may have a difficult time fully trusting this doctor to act in their best interest. To brush these concerns aside is to ignore a reality of human nature and to put at risk the foundation of the principle of autonomy in medicine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;">This step of the Obama Administration is another attack on not only health care providers, but also on patients themselves. The continuing erosion of the rights of the provider will only continue until the rights of the patient to make medical decisions for themselves has been eliminated as well. We must continue to fight for our right to practice medicine as our faith and our conscience directs us, it is the only way that the true Art of Medicine will be saved.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><br />
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</div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-83666528097265024192010-11-13T10:58:00.001-05:002010-11-13T11:03:04.403-05:00The New Catholic Medical Association Students SectionThe past three months have been very busy. The Catholic Medical Students Association official no longer exists, but is now become the Catholic Medical Association- Students Section. Prior to this change, the CMSA was a loose, independent affiliation of individuals around the country. We had many struggles in maintaining our structure and continuity. However, all of that is changing now. <br />
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With the creation of the Catholic Medical Association-Students Section, we will now be officially a part of the CMA and have administrative and monetary support for our mission. The CMA is extremely happy to have us as a part of their organization and have gone to great lengths to support the CMA-SS. <br />
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This is going to be a great opportunity for medical students around the country who are looking to be a part of a group who has national voice in the defense of Catholic medicine. By joining the CMA-SS, students will also have access to a database of other members and guilds in their area or in places they may be looking at for residency. The students will also receive the Linacare Quarterly, an great Catholic bioethics journal, and they will also be eligible for scholarships to the yearly meetings.<br />
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As a group, the CMA-SS is striving to help form Catholic medical students as strong and faithful doctors. We hope to do this by facilitating relationships between Catholic physicians and students and by giving the support that each student needs to be a faithful Catholic physician. <br />
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If you know of a Catholic medical student, please direct them to our website: <a href="http://www.cathmed.org/students/">http://www.cathmed.org/students/</a><br />
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and please check out our latest blog post: <a href="http://www.cathmed.org/students/students_blog/the_power_of_the_catholic_witness/">http://www.cathmed.org/students/students_blog/the_power_of_the_catholic_witness/</a><br />
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If you have any other inquiries, please email us at students@cathmed.orgBrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-53361688020970168562010-08-05T07:31:00.001-04:002010-08-05T07:31:34.596-04:00The Fight Is Still On Against Abortions in the MilitaryAs a future Navy physician (and current Navy officer) I am appalled that Senator Burris would try and force the military to provide abortions. Despite what the media would have you believe most Americans are against abortion, and that goes for military members as well. This is an all out assault on the unborn. We have attacks coming through Obamacare, stem-cell research, govt funding to Planned Parenthood, and now the attempts to force it upon the military.<br />
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Abortion and the military is an interesting situation, but one that reflects the greater society. The so-called need for abortion in the military arises primarily because if a woman becomes pregnant, her ability for advancement disappears. If she is overseas, she will quickly be sent home and her career will stall out. (Read more in a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/us/politics/11abort.html">June 2010 NY Times</a> article about this). So in the eyes of the liberals, the answer is to allow these women to abort their children rather than to call upon them, and the men involved, to exhibit the self discipline we would expect from our service men and women.<br />
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We ought to be focusing on to points in all of this. The first is the need to instil the idea of the dignity of human life. It would seem this would be very challenging in light of the profession of a service member, but it is necessary even in light of this. We need our service men and women to recognize the idea of self defense, but also the idea of mercy when encountering the enemy. The same for the unborn. We must show them that this is a life that they have taken an oath to protect, just as they are protecting the rest of us. The second point is self discipline. A standard of self control and chastity should be instilled in these men and women (just like the rest of America needs it). If any group of people should be able to do this, it should be those who have dedicated their lives to the idea of discipline and sacrifice.<br />
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So we need to continue the fight against this Amendment:<br />
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<blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Over 200 Military Physicians Petition for No Abortion on Military Bases</span></b></blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"></div><blockquote>WASHINGTON, DC, August 3, 2010 (<a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">LifeSiteNews.com</span></a>) -- Over 200 active and retired military physicians have signed <a href="http://www.cmda.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=26913" style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">a letter</span></a>organized by the 16,000-member Christian Medical Association (CMA), in which they ask Senators to vote against the FY 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, unless an amendment permitting abortions to be performed on military bases is stripped from the bill.</blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"></div><blockquote>"In addition to facilitating further destruction of unborn life, the provision will place military physicians with life-honoring convictions in the unenviable position of either disobeying orders, abandoning their conscience, or seeking objector status," said CMA Senior Vice President Gene Rudd, MD, who has received the Gorgas Award for distinguished service in the American military. </blockquote><blockquote> </blockquote><blockquote>Current law prohibits the performance of abortion by Department of Defense (DoD) medical personnel or using DoD medical facilities, except in case of rape, incest, and a threat to the life of the mother. An amendment added to the Defense Authorization Act by the outgoing Senator Roland Burris (D-IL), however, would permit abortion on both domestic and overseas military bases.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote>"Such a drastic and controversial change in longstanding federal policy could disrupt military medicine in a time of war and also undermine military physician retention and recruitment," the letter says.</blockquote><blockquote>When President Clinton instituted a policy in 1993 permitting abortions on military bases, most military physicians refused to participate in them. The letter warns that the efforts of those holding to "partisan abortion ideology" in attempting to diminish conscience rights, combined with pro-abortion policies such as the Burris amendment, could "drastically reduce the number of physicians, thus reducing patient access."</blockquote><blockquote>"Reducing physicians and patient access during two wars and at a time of a growing and severe national shortage of physicians - especially in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology and family medicine - is hardly wise policy, regardless of one's views on abortion, " the letter states.</blockquote><blockquote>Abortion has been prohibited on military bases since a 1996 law overturned Clinton's policy. That law "has enabled military physicians to practice medicine according to the life-honoring principles expressed in the Hippocratic oath and Judeo-Christian ethics," according to the letter.</blockquote><blockquote>CMA Director of Global Health Outreach Col. Donald Thompson, MD, who recently retired from the Air Force, said that "this provision would put conscientious military medics on the losing side of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) in key areas crucial to good order and discipline in the military.”</blockquote><blockquote>"Our military exists to fight our nation's wars, not to be a ideological playground. If this provision stays in the NDAA, it will drive out of the military those who are most likely to serve their nation by going in harm's way."</blockquote><blockquote>The FY 2011 Defense Authorization act would also end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," (DADT) policy and permit homosexuals to serve openly in the military.</blockquote><blockquote><span style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;">You may find contact information for your Senator </span><a href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm" style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">here</span></span></a><span style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;">.</span></blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"></div><blockquote><br />
</blockquote><blockquote>See related stories on LifeSiteNews.com:</blockquote><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"></div><blockquote>U.S. Senate Committee Oks Amendment Ditching Military Abortion Ban </blockquote><blockquote><a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/may/10052811.html" style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"></a><a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/may/10052811.html" style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/may/10052811.html</span></a></blockquote><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Rep. Smith Vows to Oppose Military Abortions in Defense Bill </span></blockquote><blockquote><a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10061108.html" style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"></a><a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10061108.html" style="margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0em; padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em; padding-top: 0em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/jun/10061108.html</span></span></a></blockquote>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-72767791632693124932010-08-05T07:03:00.000-04:002010-08-05T07:03:31.030-04:00Missouri Shows Washington the Opinion of the People on Obamacare<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">From the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/05/us/politics/05elect.html?ref=health">NY Times:</a></span><br />
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<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Voters in Missouri Oppose Health Law</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; line-height: 15px;"><nyt_byline><blockquote>By <a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/d/monica_davey/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Monica Davey"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">MONICA DAVEY</span></a></blockquote></nyt_byline></span><blockquote>Published: August 4, 2010</blockquote><div class="articleBody" style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.7em; margin-top: 1.5em;"><nyt_text><nyt_correction_top></nyt_correction_top><blockquote>Missouri voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a measure intended to nullify the new federal health care law, becoming the first state in the nation where ordinary people made known their dismay over the issue at the ballot box.</blockquote></nyt_text></div><div class="articleBody" style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1.7em; margin-top: 1.5em;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The measure was meant to invalidate a crucial element of </span><a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Barack Obama."><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">President Obama</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">’s health care law — namely, that most people be required to get</span><a class="meta-classifier" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/health_insurance_and_managed_care/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="Recent and archival health news about health insurance and managed care."><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">health insurance</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> or pay a tax penalty. Supporters of the measure said it would send a firm signal to Washington about how this state, often a bellwether in presidential elections, felt.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The referendum drew support from 71 percent of nearly 939,000 voters. “My constituents told me they felt like their voices had been ignored and they wanted Washington to hear them,” said Jane Cunningham, a state senator and Republican. “It looks to me like they just picked up a megaphone.”</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The referendum, known as Proposition C, was seen as a first look at efforts by conservatives to gather and rally their forces over the issue. Practically speaking, it remains entirely uncertain what effect the vote will have. The insurance requirement of the federal health care law does not come into effect until 2014. By then, experts say, the courts are likely to weigh in on the provision.</span></blockquote><div style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Though this vote is mainly symbolic at this point in time, I hope that it does show Washington that the majority of Americans do not want Obamacare. It is a poorly thought out system that is going to ruin health care in this country. Let us continue to pray that our elected leaders will actually listen to our voices.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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.</div></div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-32795567354574454292010-07-20T08:34:00.000-04:002010-07-20T08:34:35.684-04:00Conscience Rights Revisited In Washington StateSome possible good news coming out of Washington state. For the past several years there has been quite a fight over the dispensing of Plan B by pharmacies in that state. A couple of pharmacists stated they would refuse to dispense it because it causes abortions, and so the state turned around and forced them to dispense it upon penalty of losing their license. However, now there is a chance that pharmacists will maintain some of their freedom of conscience, though not based upon the ruling of the Federal Appeals court. The Board of Pharmacy wants to revisit their regulation requiring all legal prescriptions to be filled. The proposed change would only require a 'referral' by the pharmacist to another pharmacist who will accommodate. Now, anyone with any basic understanding of moral theology knows that referring is still too proximal to the moral act to be justified. If a pharmacist cannot dispense, then they cannot refer, because they are still aiding the person in the completion of the action, ie abortion. <br />
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The Story:<br />
<blockquote><h1 class="storyhed">Pharmacy board takes another run at Plan B rule </h1><!-- end HEADLINE --> <!-- SUB HEADLINE --> <!-- end SUB HEADLINE --> <div class="story_pluckactivity"><div id="story_activity_count"><br />
</div></div><!-- BYLINE --> <div class="byline">THE NEWS TRIBUNE</div><div class="updates_timestamp_story">Published: 07/15/1012:05 am</div><!-- end BYLINE --> <!-- STORY TEXT --> <div class="storytext" id="storyBody"> The state Board of Pharmacy and pharmacists suing it over Plan B want out of court. <br />
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</div><!--end SIDEBAR--> <!--end SIDEBAR--> The litigants asked federal district court Judge Ronald Leighton last week to put their legal fight on hold pending the resolution of a new rule-making process.<br />
The move angered advocates of unfettered access to Plan B emergency contraception. They contend the delay signals an undoing of a 2007 victory: the passage of rules requiring pharmacists to dispense a drug unless another pharmacist is available in person or by phone to step in.<br />
The pharmacy board voted last month to reopen the rule-making process to consider “facilitated referral,” which is essentially the “refuse and refer” rule that the board embraced in 2006. <br />
Under that rule, pharmacists with moral objections to Plan B – some consider it tantamount to abortion because it prevents implantation of a fertilized egg – could refuse to dispense it as long as they took steps to help patients get it elsewhere. <br />
Back then, the proposal prompted Gov. Chris Gregoire to threaten to remove any pharmacy board members who voted for it. Her spokesman recently said she plans to make her opinion known to the board once again.<br />
Pharmacy board members – most of whom have joined since 2007 – may indeed be headed for an about-face, but it’s too soon to assume that’s where they’ll end up. <br />
Certainly, the goal is to write a rule that answers the concerns of the two pharmacists and Olympia grocer who are suing the state. <br />
State lawyers hope to head off several more years of litigation – and a possible constitutional finding. The plaintiffs say that the state’s rule violates a pharmacists’ religious freedom. It is not a negligible argument, even if the often reversed 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last year ordered Leighton to apply a standard more deferential to the government.<br />
But any proposed rule will still have to be vetted by an extensive public process – a process likely to raise the same concerns as were voiced in 2006 and 2007. <br />
The pharmacy board will have to again wrestle with situations in which a pharmacy’s refusal to dispense Plan B effectively blocks a patient from receiving the drug. <br />
The pill should be taken within 72 hours – preferably 24 hours – to be effective at preventing pregnancy. Under “facilitated referral,” a patient in the hinterlands might have to travel some distance to find a pharmacy willing to stock Plan B.<br />
Pharmacy board members probably haven’t spared themselves any grief by trading a legal battle for a public policy fight. They have more than a court case to settle; they also have to convince a lot of concerned people that any new rule protects access. </div><br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/15/1264410/pharmacy-board-takes-another-run.html#ixzz0uDzP4vS3" style="color: #003399;">http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/15/1264410/pharmacy-board-takes-another-run.html#ixzz0uDzP4vS3</a><br />
</blockquote><br />
Here is something else to consider. Washington state has legalized assisted suicide. Now, some pharmacists don't have too much of a problem with Plan B, but what about the drugs used for suicide? Will the state force more pharmacists to fill these drugs or make them refer? And if the state is willing to do this to pharmacists, then how long will it be before physicians are forced, as a condition of their license, to perform abortions and assist in suicides?<br />
<br />
For more, see <a href="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2010/07/17/washington-revisits-quashing-of-pharmacy-conscience-rights/">Wesley J. Smith's commentary</a>.BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-67239242007846312442010-07-13T08:45:00.000-04:002010-07-13T08:45:49.539-04:00U.S. Army Knows Truth About Stem CellsExcellent news that I wanted to share:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><h1 class="head" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; clear: none; color: #183a53; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: lighter; font: normal normal bold 1em/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: none; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">U.S. Army Gives $700,000 to Stem Cell Therapy Research</span></h1><div class="date" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9166em; font-weight: lighter; margin-bottom: 0.41667em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1.1667em; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Tuesday, July 13, 2010<img alt="" class="byline" src="http://www.foxnews.com/images/src/newscor_122x19.gif" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; display: block;" /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span></span></u></div><span><div style="color: black; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>International biopharmaceutical company NeoStem announced Monday it was awarded a $700,000 contract by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, to advance adult stem cell therapies in treating traumatic wounds.</strong></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">The contract was to evaluate the use of topically applied bone marrow-derived adult mesenchymal stem cells for rapid wound healing.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Robin Smith, board chairman and chief executive officer of NeoStem, said the company was thrilled to have the U.S. government's support to advance <a class="kLink" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,596584,00.html#" id="KonaLink0" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; background-position: initial initial !important; background-repeat: initial initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; color: #183a52; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-family: verdana; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;" target="undefined"><span style="color: blue !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">its </span><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">technology</span></span></a> and honored to become part of the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center’s regenerative medicine portfolio.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">"It is our goal with this important project to leverage adult stem cell technology to help our soldiers avoid amputations and immobilization from injuries that they may sustain while fighting for our country," Smith said.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">"Wound healing could represent just the beginning of more collaborative projects involving other clinical indications, such as <a class="kLink" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,596584,00.html#" id="KonaLink1" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; background-position: initial initial !important; background-repeat: initial initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; color: #183a52; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-family: verdana; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;" target="undefined"><span style="color: blue !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">spinal </span><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">cord </span><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;">injuries</span></span></a> and retinal damage, both of which affect American warriors who serve our country in the global war on terrorism," he added.</div></span></span></blockquote><br />
The US Army recognizes that the future of stem cell research lies in Adult stem cells and NOT embryonic stem cells. I am excited to hear that this kind of research is being done because when I am a physician taking care of our military men and women, I hope that I can better treat their injuries with this type of technology. This is just one more piece of evidence of why funding for embryonic stem cells should be shifted entirely to adult stem cells.BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-1365031342388285482010-07-01T09:40:00.000-04:002010-07-01T09:40:45.202-04:00New Prenatal Testing: Search and Destroy Mission or Advancement in Science?A recent article announced the the promising advancements of using maternal blood to test for fetal genetic anomalies. The premise is that there is a very small amount of fetal DNA that passes into the mother's blood stream. This DNA is not fully degraded, and if the proper techniques are used, it could theoretically be isolated and amplified in order to be tested for genetic anomalies such as mutations or aneuploidies. This technology is very challenging to master. I worked in a lab for a year that was pursuing this very technique. During that time, I continued to struggle with the ethical nature of this research. I was blessed that in the particular lab the research was performed within the paradigm of advancing the good of both mother AND child. In this light, I was able to reconcile my work with my ethical standards because I knew that the basic research that I was performing had the potential of helping eliminate the risks of the current screening tests. Moreover, it could theoretically lead to the potential for treatment and cures, following in the footsteps of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A9r%C3%B4me_Lejeune">Dr. Jerome Lejune</a>. However, not all research done in this field follows such ethical standards. In fact, as posted <a href="http://catholicmedstudent.blogspot.com/2010/03/prenatal-testing-continuation-of.html">before</a>, much of this research and testing is simply to promote the search and destroy missions against any 'imperfect' child. Here is the story from <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595705,00.html">FoxNews</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><h1 class="head" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; clear: none; color: #183a53; font-weight: lighter; font: normal normal bold 1em/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: none; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Cheap Blood Test Could Detect Disorders in Fetus</span></span></h1></blockquote><br />
<blockquote><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A simple blood test may one day become a safer alternative for checking if an unborn baby has Down syndrome or other disorders, the Daily Telegraph reported.</span></strong></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The test, which takes a blood sample from a pregnant woman to examine the DNA of the </span><a class="kLink" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595705,00.html#" id="KonaLink0" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; color: #183a52; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;" target="undefined"><span style="color: blue !important; font-weight: normal; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">fetus</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">, would cost as little as $36, and could be available within four years, according to the report.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It would provide an inexpensive and much less invasive way to detect many genetic abnormalities in fetuses, but it also raises concerns among pro-life advocates who say it could result in more abortions.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“If it might more conclusively prevent false positives, it might have some benefit, but it will also likely lead to more abortions of children with disabilities,” Mailee Smith, staff counsel for Americans United for Life, told FoxNews.com.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The tests currently used to determine if an unborn child has Down syndrome are both quite invasive. One is an amniocentesis, where doctors extract amniotic fluid from around the fetus. The other is a procedure known as chorionic villus sampling, which involves the removal of a small piece of placenta tissue. Researchers hope the new test will become a safer alternative to the current procedures, which are highly accurate, but raise the mother’s risk of suffering a miscarriage.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"The age is swiftly coming where not all possible technologic advances may bring welcomed change. Parents who have children with Down syndrome have already found much richness in life with an extra chromosome," Skotko wrote in an article published in the BMJ in October 2009.Dr. Brian Skotko, a </span><a class="kLink" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595705,00.html#" id="KonaLink1" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; color: #183a52; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;" target="undefined"><span style="color: blue !important; font-weight: normal; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: blue; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">physician</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="preLoadWrap" id="preLoadWrap1" style="position: relative;"></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> at the Children's Hospital Boston who is on the board of directors of the National Down Syndrome Society, told FoxNews.com that many doctors aren't adequately trained to counsel women on having children with Down syndrome, and worse, some who diagnose an expecting couple's child with Down syndrome encourage them to terminate the pregnancy.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Dr. Suzanna Frints, of Maastricht University Medical Center in the </span><a class="kLink" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595705,00.html#" id="KonaLink2" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; color: #183a52; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;" target="undefined"><span style="color: blue !important; font-weight: normal; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Netherlands</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">, began the ongoing research with her team in 2009, and claims that their technique is 80 percent reliable. Her team has proven their technique works by using the mother’s blood to identify the Y chromosome from the fetus.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Twenty-one women who have either had abortions or underwent amniocentesis, or other prenatal screening procedure, have participated in the research. But to establish the accuracy of the test, Frints said the next phase of development would need to involve more women.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Frints described the results as “promising,” and hopes that their technique will be able to screen for other abnormalities, like </span><a class="kLink" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595705,00.html#" id="KonaLink3" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; color: #183a52; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;" target="undefined"><span style="color: blue !important; font-weight: normal; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: blue; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">muscular </span></span><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: blue; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">dystrophy</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="preLoadWrap" id="preLoadWrap3" style="position: relative;"></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">, hemophilia, Edwards syndrome and Patau syndrome.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">“When we succeed in developing the procedure for use in maternal blood, we will be able to offer a safe, cheap, fast, reliable and accurate non-invasive test, which will be of immediate benefit to pregnant women, young and old, all over the world,” Frints said.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Professor Stephen Robson, spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, considers a non-invasive test for detecting Down syndrome the “holy grail” and said there was an ''enormous research effort’’ behind it.</span></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Down syndrome is a genetic abnormality that affects around 1 in 800 </span><a class="kLink" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595705,00.html#" id="KonaLink4" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: transparent !important; background-image: none !important; background-origin: initial !important; border-bottom-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-color: transparent !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: transparent !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: transparent !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; bottom: 0px; color: #183a52; cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; right: 0px; text-decoration: underline !important; text-transform: none !important; top: 0px;" target="undefined"><span style="color: blue !important; font-weight: normal; position: static;"><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">babies </span></span><span class="kLink" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: initial !important; border-left-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: none !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: none !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: blue !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; position: static; width: auto !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">born</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> in the U.S., and is the most common genetic cause of severe learning disability.</span></div></blockquote><br />
Here is an excellent commentary on the story from <a href="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2010/06/29/improved-eradicate-down-babies-test-on-the-way/">Wesley J. Smith</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: #575757; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; font-size: 14px;">A new test is in the works that will allow Down fetuses to be detected without the risks of current screening. <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1290620/Scientists-developing-blood-test-detect-Downs-unborn-babies.html" style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">From the story</a>:</div><blockquote style="color: #575757; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; font-size: 14px;"><strong>A quick inexpensive blood test for Down’s syndrome that could save the lives of hundreds of unborn babies each year is being developed by scientists. The ‘holy grail’ of diagnosis, it would pick up signs of the disease from a few drops of the mother’s blood. The test could save lives by removing the risk of miscarriage associated with current tests…Dr Frints, of Maastricht University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, has already created a kit that can work out if the baby is a boy or a girl. She is adapting the kit to test for Down’s syndrome and other genetic conditions could follow. Around 25,000 British women a year have invasive tests for Down’s syndrome, so the test has the potential to save 250 lives annually.</strong></blockquote><div style="color: #575757; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; font-size: 14px;">The statement in the story really meant “save the lives of normal babies.” These tests are intended as a search and destroy mission, <a href="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2008/11/26/the-illiberalism-of-the-lefts-eugenics-prejudices/" style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">to find and promote eradication of Down fetuses</a>. The babies miscarried now as a result of invasive testing might be called collateral damage in the larger eugenic drive.</div><div style="color: #575757; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; font-size: 14px;">I am certainly in favor of preventing those miscarriages. And, of course, some families will use the information provided to prepare themselves and family for the arrival of a child with a disability, as did the Palins (<a href="http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/secondhandsmoke/2008/09/11/horrors-palins-decision-to-love-trig-might-reduce-eugenic-abortion/" style="color: #990000; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">for which some will never forgive them</a>). But the latter benefit isn’t the primary point of the test and certainly not why the medical establishment promotes universal pre-natal testing so enthusiastically. Frankly, they are not satisfied with a 90% termination rate.</div><div style="color: #575757; font-family: georgia, 'times New Roman'; font-size: 14px;">But isn’t it ironic–that we will save some “good” babies, in order to find a better way to identify others to terminate. If babies of color were being similarly targeted it would be called racism.</div></blockquote><br />
As future physicians and current physicians, we need to work hard to shape the culture so that we are able to promote research to alleviate the negative impact of genetic anomalies. We have the obligation to fully inform our patients of the use and impact of these tests and encourage them to use the knowledge in such a way as to promote the sanctity of life.BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-55055836080984965172010-06-30T08:24:00.000-04:002010-06-30T08:24:29.499-04:00Cardinal DiNardo Stands Against Military Abortions<blockquote><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">June 29, 2010<br />
<br />
Dear Senator:<br />
<br />
When the full Senate takes up the National Defense Authorization Act for 2011 (S. 3454), it should remove from the bill a misguided committee amendment to 10 U.S.C. §1093 that authorizes the performance of elective abortions at military hospitals in this country and around the world.</div><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">Archbishop Broglio of the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services wrote to all Senators on June 17, urging Congress not to impose this tremendous burden on the consciences of Catholic and other health care personnel who joined our armed services to save and protect innocent life, not to destroy it. On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops I wholeheartedly endorse his plea, and want to offer some additional considerations in terms of longstanding government policy on abortion.</div><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">First, the committee amendment is titled a “restoration of previous policy” on use of military facilities for abortion. But in fact, the Department of Defense has barred use of these facilities for elective abortions since 1988. President Clinton reversed the policy in January 1993, but in 1995 Congress voted to restore the ban, and it has remained intact for the last 15 years. During the brief period when these facilities were told to make abortions available, scarcely any military physician could be found in overseas facilities who was willing to perform abortions. Proposals for hiring private physicians from outside the system, or for taking a more coercive attitude toward military physicians and nurses, were never implemented because Congress acted in a timely way to restore the morally sound policy.</div><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">Second, pro-abortion groups claim that the longstanding current policy somehow treats military personnel differently from other Americans. On the contrary: Other federal health facilities also may not be used for elective abortions, and many states have their own laws against use of public facilities for such abortions. The vast majority of public <em>and</em> private hospitals in the United States do <em>not</em> provide elective abortions, and 88% of U.S. counties (97% of non-metropolitan counties) have <em>no</em>identifiable abortion provider.</div><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">Third, and most disingenuously, the claim is made that the committee amendment is somehow a moderate policy, because Sec. 1093’s ban on use of federal funds for the abortion procedure will remain in place – that is, patients will have to pay the facility to perform the abortion. But this is disingenuous, to say the least. Which is a more direct governmental involvement in abortion: That the government reimburses someone else for having done an abortion, or that the government <em>performs the abortion itself</em>and accepts payment for doing so? In fact, the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld bans on use of government facilities and personnel for abortions, on the same basis as it upholds laws against government funding of abortion. In one such decision, citing a consistent line of decisions going back to 1977, the Court memorably observed that “the State need not commit any resources to facilitating abortions, even if it can turn a profit by doing so.” <em>Webster v. Reproductive Health Services</em>, 492 U.S. 490, 511 (1989).</div><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">In short, this amendment presents Congress with the very straightforward question whether it is the task of our federal government to directly promote and facilitate elective abortions. During the recent health care reform debate, the President and congressional leadership assured us that they agree it is not. The Senate should not approve this legislation until the original version of 10 U.S.C. §1093 is restored, maintaining the longstanding current policy on abortion as the House version of this legislation has already done.</div><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">Sincerely,</div><div style="color: #2b1e15; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.75em;">Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo<br />
Chairman, Committee on Pro-Life Activities<br />
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops</div></blockquote><br />
<br />
As a Ensign in the Navy and a future physician, I am horrified at the possibility of abortions being permitted in military facilities. How long will it be before physicians and other health care personnel are coerced into assisting or providing an abortion? As Cardinal DiNardo (a magnificent man) said, I joined the Navy because I desired to protect and save lives, not destroy them. Congress is continuing its attempt to force the American taxpayers to fund abortion. In this case, facilities and personnel built and trained through taxpayer dollars will used for the abortion. We cannot let this happen, so please, please, please contact your congressman and Senators to tell them that this is unacceptable!BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-48768746975845664432010-06-16T10:06:00.000-04:002010-06-16T10:06:49.007-04:00The Dangers of Synthetic Life<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Here is an excellent commentary on the recent news that scientists made the next step in creating synthetic life by inserting an artificial genome into a cell. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><blockquote><h2 style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.6em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; text-decoration: none;">Regulate Synthetic Life Science While the Horse is Still in the Barn</h2><div class="author" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><small style="color: #777777; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.5em;">June 10th, 2010</small></span><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><span id="sharethis_0"><a class="stbutton stico_default" href="http://www.cbc-network.org/2010/06/regulate-synthetic-life-science-while-the-horse-is-still-in-the-barn/" st_page="home" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://w.sharethis.com/images/share-icon-16x16.png?CXNID=1000014.0NXC); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #629fb4; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 22px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 1px; text-decoration: none;" title="ShareThis via email, AIM, social bookmarking and networking sites, etc."><span class="stbuttontext" st_page="home" style="line-height: 17px;">ShareThis</span></a></span></div><div class="entry" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.4em; padding-right: 10px;"><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;"><img alt="" src="http://www.cbc-network.org/wp-content/themes/default/images/about_staff_3.jpg" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 0.5em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><em>By Wesley J. Smith, J.D., Special Consultant to the CBC</em></div><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;">The media was all atwitter a few weeks ago when scientists announced that they had <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703559004575256470152341984.html#printMode" style="color: #629fb4; text-decoration: none;">created synthetic life.</a>Technically, that isn’t true—if by synthetic life one means creating life out of non life. Rather, scientists took a living bacterium, removed its genetic content, and replaced it with a manufactured genome of a different species. The new genome took control of the existing cell and created a new species that acted like its natural counterparts, including cell splitting. Thus, it might be more accurate to say that scientists have successfully mimicked life rather than literally created it.<span id="more-2390"></span></div><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;"><img alt="" height="100" src="http://www.cbc-network.org/enewsletter/dnasilver_100x134.jpg" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 0.9em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="100" />Semantics aside, it was an astounding scientific achievement that could lead, the scientists said, to man exerting “a new power over life.” They weren’t kidding. The potential safety and ethical consequences of learning to engineer new life forms—including eventually of the human variety—is hard to overstate.</div><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;">That being so, we had better get about the task of erecting legally enforceable safety and ethical parameters around this field while we still have time to act deliberately. And here’s an important truth: If society doesn’t decide where we want the science to go—and not go—the amoral inertial imperative of technological advance will fill the resulting vacuum with potentially terrible consequences.</div><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;">We have already seen the moral and social anarchy that flows from refusing to rationally regulate the awesome power of emerging life sciences. When <em>in vitro</em> fertilization (IVF) became a possible means of treating infertility, critics worried about ethical and practical consequences that could result when we took reproduction literally into our own hands. But IVF boosters scoffed at these concerns, assuring us that scientists could be trusted to exercise prudence and self control without the need to resort to government regulation. Thus in her 1980 syndicated column “Making Babies,” syndicated columnist Ellen Goodman wrote:</div><blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; color: #777777; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 30px; margin-top: 15px; padding-left: 20px;"><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;">A fear of many protesting the opening of this [IVF] clinic is that doctors there will fertilize myriad eggs and discard the “extras” and the abnormal, as if they were no more meaningful than a dish of caviar. But this fear seems largely unwarranted.</div></blockquote><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;"><img alt="" height="100" src="http://www.cbc-network.org/enewsletter/ivf.png" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 0.9em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0em; max-width: 100%; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" width="135" />We now know that Goodman was wholly mistaken, that we do indeed “discard” the “extras,” and do view these embryos as “no more meaningful than a dish of caviar.” Worse, because we now have more than 400,000 embryos in hyper-frozen stasis, many view these nascent human beings not as potential babies, but instead, as a bounteous natural resource ripe for exploitation and destruction in medical treatments and various biological experiments, a matter that would have caused horror when Goodman wrote, but which she and much of the science sector now find perfectly acceptable.</div><div style="font-size: 1.05em; text-align: justify;">Indeed by failing to regulate IVF, it has, in effect, <em>regulated us</em>, leading directly to tremendous changes in the norms of family life (e.g., Octomom and aged motherhood), the reemergence of eugenics values (for example, in embryo selection), and an overall utilitarian objectification of unborn life (human cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and advocacy to permit fetal farming). If that was true of IVF—which, recall, had the original limited goal of helping infertile married couples have babies—imagine the potential epochal impact broadly synthesizing life could exert over the earth’s biology and human morality............</div></div></blockquote><br />
<a href="http://www.cbc-network.org/2010/06/regulate-synthetic-life-science-while-the-horse-is-still-in-the-barn/">Read the rest here </a><br />
</div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-19671518311207878292010-06-09T18:01:00.000-04:002010-06-09T18:01:09.685-04:00NFP: Licit or Illicit?<div style="text-align: justify;">Within the Church, there is a great battle raging. This battle is truly for the heart of the Church and centers around sexual morality and ethics. It is the battle between those Catholics who feel it is moral to use artificial birth control and those who stand behind the teachings of the Church on this topic. In recent years, with the support of many wonderful priests and bishops, the tide is turning where more and more individuals are turning their hearts back to the teaching of the Church and rejecting artificial birth control as an intrinsic evil.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yet, this is not the only struggle on this topic. As Natural Family Planning instructors for the Couple to Couple League, my wife and I have encountered on several instances individuals and families within the Church who claim NFP to be no better than artificial birth control. These people are good people who obviously seek to do God's work and support the Church, yet in their animosity towards NFP, they do great harm. This harm stems from a rejection of the Church's teaching on the use of NFP. I realize that for some of these people, it can be very difficult because they have been on the defensive within the Church itself for the past 40 years in regards to so many issues. It would seem that they do not know what they can believe anymore and so some turn to the time before the tumult, namely the pre-Vatican II era. And yet, in doing so, they lose so much of the rich development in the understanding of sexual ethics that has come from John Paul II's Theology of the Body and the need for orthodox Catholics to better understand the relationship of man and woman in response to a culture hostile to God's design for sex. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this smaller conflict, there is a need for proper catechesis. It is a matter of reminding these families that the Church's teachign truly does trump all, and in this case, NFP is licit. Below is the beginning of a post written on the topic that does a thorough job of laying out the case for NFP in the heart of the Church. I encourage you to read it, and if the Lord calls you to, send it to anyone who you think may benefit from its message.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><blockquote><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let’s talk about, sex, artificial birth control (ABC) and Natural Family Planning (NFP). Let’s focus specifically on the licitness of NFP. The things that follow here assume the Catholic position on ABC. I understand that some who come here may not share our beliefs. This is not about “convincing” non-Catholics of anything. This is what you might call an “internal discussion.” This is a discussion for those of us who are Catholic and who agree that ABC is morally wrong. That is the foundation. If this isn’t you, you may find this writing to be boring or even ridiculous. That’s okay, you can just close the window and come back another time to see pictures of Gariníon or to see what is happening in our daily life. Whether you stick around or not, this will be a very, very long entry.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Throughout the years, I’ve been exposed to a many, many, many conversations regarding Natural Family Planning. I guess that comes with being Catholic, having a large family and being a certified NFP instructor (now retired!) It has come up again recently in a couple of different venues. I often find it frustrating to have conversations about this because people tend to be passionate about their position to the point of not being able to consider or hear anything else. I also find that it is hard to fully “argue” your position in these types of conversations. (That fact that it’s taking 3100+ words here might explain part of that!)</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sometimes in these conversations the question is trying to get to the heart of the Church’s teaching on human sexuality, birth control, and what it all means. Often, it boiled down to questioning the licitness of using NFP at all. Many have wondered if using NFP shows a desire for control that is not an appropriate response to God’s creative prerogative, and is therefore <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">just as evil as contraception</em>. This is what I’ve got on my mind today. Let me say right upfront that while I do not criticize the <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">people</em> who are asking these questions (for in my experience, most truly appear to be seeking) I find the <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">suggestion itself</em> (that NFP is always wrong) to be, well, hogwash.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The conversations I was a part of or was exposed over the years to took all kinds of twists and turns and some of the things that were said or implied were mind-boggling to me. Some of these things seemed a bit extreme.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I have heard or read more times than I can remember that since ABC and NFP have the same “end goal” in mind, (avoiding pregnancy) either both are valid or both are invalid. This argument is put forth by those who reject the Church’s teaching against ABC as well as those who reject NFP along with ABC. The problem with that line of thinking, in my opinion, is that it confuses the issue. The problem with it is that it assumes that seeking to avoid pregnancy is <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">always</strong> evil in <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">all</strong> circumstances. If that were true, then I would have to agree that no matter how you violate that, it is evil. But avoiding pregnancy for a good (sufficient/grave/serious) reason is not evil. The problem enters with the <strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">how</strong>. It comes down to the meaning and purpose of sex and to the natural law regarding human sexuality</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As I observed these conversations and took it all in, particularly over the past 15+ years, I kept coming back to one, single question:</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: red; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Does no one read the catechism?</span></strong></div></blockquote><br />
<a href="http://becomewhatyouare.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/nfp-licit-or-illicit/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Read the rest here.</span> </a>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-53990903769572438962010-05-19T14:06:00.000-04:002010-05-19T14:06:10.069-04:00Another ApologyI owe an apology to any one who reads this blog. I said I would be trying to post more, but it just hasn't happened. I am studying for Step 1, and so my attention is diverted elsewhere for the time being. Thankfully though, this will not go on forever. I take the exam June 4th (prayers appreciated!) and after that, hopefully I can get back into the swing of things. So please keep checking back! Hopefully there will be a couple posts before the test and bunch more after! Thanks and God Bless!<br />
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BrianBrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-2228905976847530502010-05-05T21:06:00.000-04:002010-05-05T21:06:23.073-04:00A Story of Trisomy 18Below is an excerpt from an heart touching piece. Rick Santorum shares with us a story of the power of love:<br />
<blockquote>'Incompatible with life." The doctor's words kept echoing in my head as I held my sobbing wife, Karen, just four days after the birth of our eighth child, Isabella Maria.<br />
Bella was born with three No. 18 chromosomes, rather than the normal two. The statistics were heartbreaking: About 90 percent of children with the disorder, known as trisomy 18, die before or during birth, and 90 percent of those who survive die within the first year.<br />
Bella was baptized that day, and then we spent every waking hour at her bedside, giving her a lifetime's worth of love and care. However, not only did she not die; she came home in just 10 days.<br />
She was sent home on hospice care, strange as that sounded for a newborn. The hospice doctor visited us the next day and described in graphic detail how Bella would die. In sum, she could die at any time without warning, and the best we could hope for was that she would die of the common cold.<br />
Karen and I discontinued hospice so that we and our amazing doctors, James Baugh and Sunil Kapoor, could get to work focusing on Bella's health, not her death.<br />
Like so many moms of special kids, Karen is a warrior, caring for Bella night and day and, at times, fighting with health-care providers and our insurance company to get our daughter the care she needs.<br />
Being the parent of a special child gives one exceptional insight into the negative perception of the disabled among many medical professionals, particularly when they see your child as having an intellectual disability. Sadly, we discovered that not only did we have to search for doctors who had experience with trisomy 18. We also had to search for those who saw Bella not as a fatal diagnosis, but as a wanted and loved daughter and sister, as well as a beautiful gift from God.</blockquote><br />
Read the rest <a href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/rick_santorum/20100505_The_Elephant_in_the_Room__Two_years_worth_every_tear.html">here</a>. <br />
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</blockquote>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-35765396639189379122010-04-26T16:30:00.000-04:002010-04-26T16:30:56.989-04:00CMSA Newsletter SubmissionsIf anyone is interested in submitting an article for the CMSA newsletter, you can email me at catholicmedstudent@gmail.com. Articles should be around 500 words. If you have an idea, let me know!<br />
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In Christ,<br />
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BrianBrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-42025573348655637522010-04-26T16:27:00.000-04:002010-04-26T16:27:28.285-04:00Vatican Backs Stem Cell ResearchI hope that the title of this post caught your attention. It was supposed to. I thought that employing the same tactics of the main stream media might help spread the message a bit. That tactic being, of course, to leave ambiguity in regards to what type of stem cells are being used. In this case, it would be <i><b>ADULT </b></i>stem cells. So here is part of <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100423/ap_on_he_me/eu_vatican_stem_cells">the story</a>:<br />
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<blockquote>ROME – The Vatican is pushing for research of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_0" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">adult stem cells</span> as an alternative to the use of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_1" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">embryonic stem cells</span>, which the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_2" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer;">Catholic Church</span> opposes because it maintains that the destruction of the embryo amounts to the killing of human life.<br />
On Friday, the Catholic Church threw its support and resources behind the study of intestinal adult stem cells by a group of experts led by the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_3" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer;">University of Maryland School</span> of Medicine. The group wants to explore the potential use of those cells in the treatment of intestinal and possibly other diseases, and is seeking an initial euro2 million ($2.7 million) to get the project going, officials said.<br />
"This research protects life," Cardinal <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_4" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer;">Renato Martino</span> said during a meeting with Italian and American scientists and health officials to outline the project. "I want to stress that it doesn't involve embryonic stem cells, where one helps oneself and then throws the embryo away and kills a human life.".....</blockquote><br />
<blockquote>....In 2007, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_13" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer;">Pope Benedict XVI</span> said the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_14">Catholic Church</span> can encourage somatic <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_15">stem cell research</span> — also known as adult stem cell research — "because of the favorable results obtained through these alternative methods," and more importantly because it respects "the life of the human being at every stage of his or her existence."</blockquote><br />
<blockquote>"Ethically, the rules the Catholic Church promotes are really very simple: That all research be respectful of human life," said Father Bob Gahl, an American professor of Moral Philosophy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. "Nobody should be killed in the process of doing medical research. So this new project falls exactly within the Catholic Church's ethical guidelines."<br />
Dr. George Daley, a stem cell expert at <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_18">Children's Hospital</span> in Boston and past president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, said both adult and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1272059000_19">embryonic stem cells</span> may prove useful for treating different diseases.<br />
<b>"I applaud the Vatican for being interested in supporting biomedical research," Daley said Friday, "but I can't help but think there's an agenda."</b><br />
<b>He called intestinal stem cells "a very exciting area of basic research" but said therapeutic uses are only speculative at this point.</b></blockquote>How quaint that this scientist would think there is an agenda behind the Vatican's support of this research. Perhaps that agenda would be the continuation of ethical stem cell research, which has already shown so much promise and therapeutic application in the treatment of so many diseases? Regarding his comment about the 'speculative' aspect of this research, it would appear that intestinal stem cells hold as much if not more promise than embryonic stem cells do. It is unfortunate that a majority of scientists are so ideologically blinded by the desire to master embryonic stem cells (which have ZERO therapeutic application at this point) rather than supporting the continued research into the success of adult stem cells. <br />
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This step by the Vatican is wonderful, in regards to the relationship between science and the Church. The Church has constantly supported the sciences that do not violate human dignity or the Law of God, and this is just another step in the great history of the Church. BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-54660210991192082632010-04-26T07:49:00.000-04:002010-04-26T07:49:07.352-04:00Sparse BloggingI want to apologize to the few readers out there for not posting more regularly in the last few weeks. I have my last exam before preparing for the Step 1. So after Tuesday I hope to have more posts to put up, more frequently! God bless!<br />
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BrianBrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-68397833725953225292010-04-14T11:38:00.003-04:002010-04-14T11:41:52.621-04:00UN and WHO ignore new maternal health numbers<div style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100414/ap_on_he_me/eu_med_maternal_deaths;_ylt=At0ildZvq74R.oRJI4GFbPfVJRIF;_ylu=X3oDMTJuMzZjMGsyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNDE0L2V1X21lZF9tYXRlcm5hbF9kZWF0aHMEY3BvcwMxBHBvcwMxBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2xhbmNldHNoYXJwZA--">More chilling news coming from the UN and WHO: Fund raising is more important that the Truth. </a></div><div style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">LONDON – The number of women dying in childbirth worldwide has dropped dramatically, a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_0">British medical journal</span> reports, adding that it was pressured to delay its findings until after U.N. meetings this week on public health funding.<b> </b></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">A separate report by a group headed by the United Nations reached a very different conclusion on maternal mortality, saying the figure remains steady at about 500,000 deaths a year.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"><b>The disagreement reveals the politics behind public health, where progress made in tackling a health problem can jeopardize funding.</b> <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_1" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; cursor: pointer;">Public health officials</span> are gearing up to ask for billions of dollars this week at U.N. meetings .</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">The <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_2" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; cursor: pointer;">British medical journal Lancet</span> rushed out a paper on Sunday that found the number of women who die in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_3">pregnancy</span> or childbirth has dropped by more than 35 percent over 28 years.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"><b><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_4">Richard Horton</span>, editor of the Lancet, said he was disappointed when <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_5">maternal health advocates</span> pressured him to delay publishing the report until September, after several critical fundraising meetings. He also wrote a commentary in Lancet on the pressure.</b></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">"Activists perceive a lower maternal mortality figure as actually diluting their message," he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "Advocacy can sometimes get in the way of science."</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">He did not name any group or individual who tried to pressure him.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">In their paper, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_6" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; cursor: pointer;">Christopher Murray</span> and colleagues at the Institute for Health Metrics at the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_7">University of Washington</span> found that <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_8" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">maternal deaths</span> have fallen from about 500,000 deaths in 1980 to about 343,000 in 2008. The study in the Lancet was based on more data than was previously available in addition to statistical modeling and was paid for by the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_9">Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation</span>.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">It was a surprising finding for experts who have long assumed that little progress has been made in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_10" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">maternal health</span>.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"><b>But on Tuesday, another report by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, a global alliance hosted by the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_11" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">World Health Organization</span>, claimed progress in maternal health has "lagged." According to their "detailed analysis," from 350,000 to 500,000 women still die in childbirth every year. The authors did not explain where their data came from or what kind of analysis was used to obtain that wide range of figures.</b></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"><b>In that report, U.N. officials also claimed they need $20 billion every year between 2011 and 2015 to save women and children in developing countries.</b></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">Dr. Flavia Bustreo, director of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, denied there was any conflict between her group's study and the Lancet study. She said her group was not involved in pressuring the journal not to publish Murray's study.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">"The debate on numbers may continue," Bustreo said Wednesday. "But we welcome this as good news. There is hope at last for maternal health."</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">In the world of public health, good news can paradoxically be bad news. The more people who are dying, the more money U.N. officials can raise, making some experts less keen to acknowledge that a problem is not as bad as they once thought.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">The U.N. is hosting a meeting of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_12">public health experts</span> and heads of state on <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_13" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">maternal and child health</span> this week in New York, followed by another one in Washington in June.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">For years, U.N. AIDS officials threatened that the epidemic would spread among general populations in countries worldwide, and claimed more than 40 million people were infected. Money for projects fighting <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_14">AIDS</span>, meanwhile, grew exponentially.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">When U.N. officials finally admitted they had been overestimating the numbers for years and dramatically revised their figures — down to 33 million — donors began to rethink their financial commitments.</div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;"><b>Experts say public health figures need to be taken with a huge grain of salt, particularly when they come from people who are also soliciting funds for the campaign. </b></div><div style="background-color: #b6d7a8; text-align: justify;">"The U.N. has a track record of inflating disease figures to keep the aid money flowing, so I'd probably place more faith in the figures which show a lower <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_15" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">disease burden</span>," said Philip Stevens, of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271255216_16">International Policy Network</span>, a London think tank. "This is yet more confirmation that whoever paints the most apocalyptic picture gets the most cash, even if they have to manipulate and spin the data." </div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: #fff2cc; text-align: justify;">It is unfortunate, but not surprising that money is influencing research. What is particularly frustrating (but again not surprising) is that it is occurring at the level of the United Nations. When we know that money is influencing the release of information, how can we trust the decisions and justifications for emphasizing one aspect of public health over another? Moreover, in regards to maternal health, it is clear that the same individuals and groups promoting maternal health at the UN are also deeply involved with population control. It is my opinion that the reasons for trying to withhold the information about the decrease in maternal death is because the fundraisers do not want to slow down their attempts at population control. We need to stay informed with what is going on behind the scenes, both on the international level as well as within our own country. </div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-42565559009846697192010-04-10T10:17:00.000-04:002010-04-10T10:17:30.842-04:00The Gianna Center: Offering Authentic Women's HealthCare<div> </div><div>I wanted to pass along this news to anyone who is interested:</div><div>First, some background: </div><div><br />
</div><blockquote><div>At The Gianna Center, we are delighted to offer a new, exciting approach to women's healthcare. We combine comprehensive primary care with specialized gynecologic care and serve women with a deep committment to honoring their dignity and the sanctity of human life. <br />
<br />
We are the first women's healthcare center in New York City to make an explicit committment to following the teachings of the Catholic Church in the provision of our healthcare services, and we look forward to providing these services to all women, regardless of their faith tradition or personal beliefs.<br />
<br />
Our mission is simple -- to acknowledge the dignity of all women and to provide exceptional, prolife healthcare for women. Our goal is to be of service to you. We look forward to serving your healthcare needs.</div></blockquote><div> Second, a message from the founder:</div><div> </div><div>Hello Everyone,</div><div><br />
What a roller coaster this <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_0">Lent</span> has been for us at The Gianna Center!</div><div> </div><div>In February, just 3 months after the Grand Opening of the Center in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_1">Midtown Manhattan</span>, we were notified that funding for the Center was being cut by St. Vincent's Hospital as part of their restructuring efforts to keep the last Catholic Hospital in NYC open.</div><div> </div><div>On <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; cursor: pointer;">Easter Monday</span>, in a true experience of Easter Resurrection, The Gianna Center opened again as a privately owned medical practice which will continue to provide 100% prolife, Catholic healthcare for women and couples in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_3">New York City</span>.</div><div><br />
Our services will continue uninterrupted, including general medical care and gynecology, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_4" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; cursor: pointer;">prenatal care</span>, and NaProTechology medical and surgical consultations and services. Dr. Beiter and I will continue to work full-time out of our office at 15 East <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_5">40th Street</span> and Dr. Beiter will continue to perform surgery at another hospital here in New York. Plans are also in place to extend the services of the Center to include psychological counselling services, faithful to the teachings of the Church, in the next few weeks.</div><div> </div><div>Please check out our new website <a href="http://www.giannahealth.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_6">www.giannahealth.org</span></a> for information and updates.</div><div> </div><div>As we announce our new ownership, I am also excited to announce an incredible event coming <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_7" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">this May.</span></div><div> </div><div><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_8" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">On Monday May 17, 2010</span>, Pierluigi Molla, the son of St. Gianna, our Center's <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_9" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; cursor: pointer;">patron saint</span>, will be joining Archbishop Dolan for a morning blessing and enshrinement of a relic of St. Gianna at The Gianna Center at <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_10" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">10 am</span>. All are welcome, and we would love to see you there.</div><div> </div><div>That <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270908841_11" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;">Monday evening</span>, a Mass will be offered for the intention of healing for couples struggling with infertility. The Mass will be held at a location to be announced and will include the opportunity for everyone present to hear about St. Gianna's life from her own son and to recieve a blessing with St. Gianna's relics. Please consider coming out to this Mass to show your prayerful support for couples suffering from what is often a hidden and painful cross. More details will follow.</div><div> </div><div>God is good -- in all things, at all times -- but most of all in the amazing work He does in the world through His people. At this moment, as I announce the "new life" of The Gianna Center, I cannot help but thank the many, many people whose generosity and efforts on behalf of The Gianna Center made it possible for us to keep the Center going over the past 6 weeks, despite this tremendous set-back.</div><div><br />
It would not have been possible to keep The Center going without each and every one of you -- and I thank you all!</div><div> </div><div>God bless you. We look forward to continuing to serve you in New York City!</div><div> </div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Anne Mielnik, MD</div><div>Founder, Gianna Healthcare for Women</div><div> </div><div> </div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-2021757794477952592010-04-04T08:08:00.000-04:002010-04-04T08:08:14.187-04:00He Is Risen!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2ogB_Df2ARk/S7f4OusocjI/AAAAAAAABmw/Dg1ixrQu17o/s1600/bellini41.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2ogB_Df2ARk/S7f4OusocjI/AAAAAAAABmw/Dg1ixrQu17o/s400/bellini41.JPG" width="341" /></a></div>BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34038338.post-22549727010257296652010-04-02T08:57:00.001-04:002010-04-02T08:58:19.896-04:00GOOD FRIDAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="355" src="http://robertarood.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/crucifixion.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him before Pilate. They brought charges against him, saying, "We found this man misleading our people; he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar and maintains that he is the Messiah, a king." <br />
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Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, "I find this man not guilty." But they were adamant and said, "He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to here." <br />
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On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign. <br />
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He questioned him at length, but he gave him no answer. The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile, stood by accusing him harshly. (Even) Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him, and after clothing him in resplendent garb, he sent him back to Pilate. <br />
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Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, even though they had been enemies formerly. Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people and said to them, "You brought this man to me and accused him of inciting the people to revolt. I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us. So no capital crime has been committed by him. <br />
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Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him." But all together they shouted out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us." (Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion that had taken place in the city and for murder.) Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus, but they continued their shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" <br />
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Pilate addressed them a third time, "What evil has this man done? I found him guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him." <br />
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With loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion, and their voices prevailed. The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted. <br />
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So he released the man who had been imprisoned for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked, and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished. <br />
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As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. <br />
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Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' <br />
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At that time people will say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!' for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?" <br />
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Now two others, both criminals, were led away with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. <br />
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[Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."] They divided his garments by casting lots. <br />
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The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God." <br />
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Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." <br />
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Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews." <br />
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Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." <br />
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The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? <br />
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And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." <br />
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Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." <br />
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He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. <br />
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Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last. <br />
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The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said, "This man was innocent beyond doubt." <br />
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When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts; but all his acquaintances stood at a distance, including the women who had followed him from Galilee and saw these events.BrianBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05612598664250439568noreply@blogger.com2