http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090825/ap_on_re_us/us_the_other_emanuel
One of the nation's most prominent bioethicists, Ezekiel Emanuel has a master's degree in biochemistry from Oxford. A medical degree and a Ph.D. in political philosophy from Harvard. He's written or co-written seven books, won numerous awards, and heads the clinical bioethics department at the National Institutes of Health. And he's currently on detail to the White House, as a health policy adviser at the Office of Management and Budget.
Such accomplishments might normally make one the family star. But in the Emanuel clan, which features one current chief of staff to the president (that would be Rahm) and a mogul who inspired the Jeremy Piven character in HBO's "Entourage" (that would be Ari), he's naturally been a bit overshadowed.
Until the last few weeks, that is.
The sometimes ugly health care debate has dragged Ezekiel Emanuel very reluctantly into the spotlight, as opponents of Obama's proposed reform have seized on snippets of his past writings to bolster their charge that he and the administration advocate a system where bureaucrats — on what former Gov. Sarah Palin has famously called "death panels" — would play God, ruling on whether ailing Grandma deserves medical care.
The irony, he says, is that he's long been a vocal opponent of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. What he does advocate are living wills, and voluntary counseling sessions that address end-of-life issues — both as a means to improve end-of-life care.
A fellow bioethicist says Palin and others couldn't have picked a less appropriate target.
"If anything, Zeke has always gone to the other extreme, being very aggressive in trying to help people stay alive," says George Annas, a professor of health law and bioethics at the Boston University School of Public Health. "This has been totally insane."
Emanuel, an oncologist by specialty, says he began focusing in the earliest stages of his career on trying to improve care for the dying. "Almost no one was doing this," he says. "I was told at medical school that this would be a quick end to my career."
"But I worked pretty hard and against the odds to improve end-of-life care," he says. "And so to have that record and that work completely perverted — it's pretty shocking, and it's also very, very hurtful."
"And so to have that record and that work completely perverted — it's pretty shocking, and it's also very, very hurtful."
"I'll fight for a person's right to speak so long as that person will, in return, fight to allow me to challenge their opinions and ridicule them as the content of their ideas merit."
You would think, but someone will find a way where that does not count if you know what I mean.
Quoting tericared:
Quoting Goodwoman614:
"And so to have that record and that work completely perverted — it's pretty shocking, and it's also very, very hurtful."
Isnt it also illegal? Defamation of charature?
Quoting mamaof2angles:
You would think, but someone will find a way where that does not count if you know what I mean.
Quoting tericared:
Quoting Goodwoman614:
"And so to have that record and that work completely perverted — it's pretty shocking, and it's also very, very hurtful."
Isnt it also illegal? Defamation of charature?
you know that unwritten rule...it's OK if a republican does it..
Yes I do and unfortunately whether they want to believe it or not its sooo true.
Quoting tericared:
Quoting mamaof2angles:
You would think, but someone will find a way where that does not count if you know what I mean.
Quoting tericared:
Quoting Goodwoman614:
"And so to have that record and that work completely perverted — it's pretty shocking, and it's also very, very hurtful."
Isnt it also illegal? Defamation of charature?
you know that unwritten rule...it's OK if a republican does it..
It is absolutely sickening what has been done to this man. I find it reprehensible that there are certain individuals on this site and in the US who will carry on the smear campaign against this man. End of life or palliative care is a truly important part of patient care and there are certain small minded individuals who will equate this with euthanasia even though it's been proven again and again that it's a lie for the simple aim of trying to win their argument. Nothing could be further from the truth - volunteer in a hospice and then try to equate the two. It's absolutely sickening. They throw this man's reputation into the toilet while worshipping at the feet of Dr. (of Constitutional History not medicine) Betsy McCaughey.
Gee - do you think this bothers me? LOL
{sigh}
...and people wonder why people don't want to enter into public service. Holy crow.
Holder to investigate....Holder
- tericared
on Aug. 25, 2009 at 2:54 AM