Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Book Review: Pathological Altruism, Katrina Bramstedt

Katrina A. Bramstedt

In my work as a transplant ethicist I have always been interested in the topic of altruism. Thus, when a book appeared with the title, Pathological Altruism, I was very intrigued to read it. An exceedingly heavy book, however, arrived in my mailbox, and I admit I was taken aback. But upon reading Pathological Altruism, edited by Barbara Oakley, Ariel Knafo, GuruprasadMadhavan, and David SloanWilson, I was not disappointed. In fact, chapter 1 baited me with the line, “Altruism can be the back door to hell.”

Managing Patients Whose Family Members Are Physicians, Katrina Bramstedt, M. Popovich

Katrina A. Bramstedt

The ethical complexities involving physicians who treat their own family members are well known and it is generally accepted that such practice should not occur. We present three anonymous cases in which patient family members who worked as physicians complicated the medical care of their hospitalized relatives. When a health care worker’s family member becomes a hospital patient, the situation can be emotionally charged due to the medical insight the multiple parties have, as well as the desire of relatives to be protective of their family members. Clinician-relatives need to allow the medical team to assume the role of caretaker …

Deactivating Implanted Cardiac Devices In Terminally Ill Patients: Practices And Attitudes, Paul Mueller, Sarah Jenkins, Katrina Bramstedt, David Hays

Katrina A. Bramstedt

Background: Clinicians may receive requests to deactivate pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in terminally ill patients. Methods: We describe practices and attitudes regarding deactivation of pacemakers and ICDs in terminally ill patients among physicians, nurses, and others who manage treatment of patients with implanted cardiac devices and among field representatives of device manufacturers. A Web-based survey was provided to Heart Rhythm Society members and to representatives of two manufacturers of implantable cardiac devices. Measurements were the answers of 787 respondents. Results: Of the respondents, 86.8% reported involvement in requests for ICD deactivation and 77.6% reported involvement in pacemaker deactivation (P …

The Future And The Structure And Content Of The Cloning Debate, Harlan Stelmach

Harlan Stelmach

The Ethics Of Patenting Higher Life Forms, Barry Hoffmaster

C. Barry Hoffmaster

No abstract provided.