University at Buffalo

Center for Clinical Ethics and Humanities in Health Care

Bioethics Bulletin


Editor: Tim Madigan

April 1997
Volume Four, Number Four

Co-Directors: Gerald Logue, MD and Stephen Wear, PhD
Associate Director: Jack Freer, MD
Research Associates: Charles Jack and
Adrianne McEvoy Address: Center for Clinical Ethics and Humanities in Health Care
Veteran's Affairs Medical Center
3495 Bailey Avenue Buffalo, NY 14215

Telephone: 862-3412 FAX: 862-4748
Website: http://wings.buffalo.edu/faculty/research/bioethics/
Send E-mail to: wear@acsu.buffalo.edu.

Newsletter Distribution

This newsletter can be delivered to you via e-mail or fax or over the internet (forward your request to: Jack Freer, MD at: jfreer@buffalo.edu). If you prefer fax, call 862-3412 and leave your fax number. We encourage and appreciate the use of e-mail and fax distribution rather than paper for the newsletter.

Center Listservers

The Center now maintains two automated e-mail listservers. BIOETH-LIST is primarily designed for those in the Greater Buffalo area and permits subscribers to post to the list. This list is available for posting local announcements, as well as a medium for discussion of relevant topics. It will also distribute the Center newsletter, "Bioethics Bulletin." If you are on this list, you can send a message to the entire list by addressing the message to: BIOETHLIST@listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu.

BIOBUL-LIST is strictly used for distribution of "Bioethics Bulletin" and is mainly for those outside of Western New York. If you have further questions about this service, contact Jack Freer at 887-4852 or at: jfreer@buffalo.edu.

Upcoming Center Meetings

The Center currently has three committees: Community Affairs, Education and Research. All Center members are welcome to participate in these committees.

Community Affairs Committee

There will be an Ethics Grand Rounds on Wednesday, April 16 sponsored by the Kenmore Mercy Ethics Committee, on "Ethical Issues in Managed Care." The session will be held in the Community Conference Room at Kenmore Mercy, 2950 Elmwood Avenue, at 8:00 AM. Presenters for the session will be: Leonard Katz, MD, Health Care Plan; Susan Regan, JD, McGavern and McGavern, Member of the New York State Commission on Managed Care, and Richard Hull, PhD, Professor of Philosophy, SUNY-Buffalo. All are welcome to attend.

Center Reading Group

The Center has established a reading and research group, the purpose of which is to discuss in-progress publications and encourage new publications and allied research activities. There will be two meetings held in April, at the Center for Inquiry, 1310 Sweet Home Road, between Maple and Rensch Roads (look for the twin red-and-white gates). On Wednesday, April 2 at 4:00 PM, Leonard Katz, MD, Associate Director, Health Care Plan/Professor of Medicine and former Associate Dean, SUNY-Buffalo School of Medicine, will lead a discussion regarding ethical issues in managed care. There will also be a meeting on Wednesday, April 30th at 4:00 PM, where the group will discuss the presentations made at Spring Clinical Days at the UB Medical School on April 26th (see announcement of this event below). Contact Adrianne McEvoy at the Center (862-3412) for information and materials.

Debate on Physician-Assisted Suicide

The Center is consponsoring a debate with the SUNY-Buffalo Departments of Philosophy and Political Science and the Society for Real Debate, on the topic "Is There A Constitutional Right to Assisted Suicide?" It will be held on Friday, April 4th from 4:00 - 6:00 PM, in 106 OBrien Hall on the SUNY-Buffalo Amherst Campus. Panelists include SUNY-Buffalo Professors Lee Albert (Political Science), Richard Cox (Political Science), Richard Hull (Philosophy), Anthony Szczygiel (Law), and Canisius College Professor of Political Science Robert Klump. For further information, please contact Paul Cornish at 645-2251, extension 511.

Special Symposium

The Center will be co-sponsoring, along with the SUNY-Buffalo Department of Philosophy and the Center for Inquiry, a symposium honoring the work of Patrick Romanell, PhD, to be held at 4:00 PM on Friday, April 11th at the Center for Inquiry, 1310 Sweet Home Road, Amherst. Romanell, formerly H. W. Benedict Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso, and currently a visiting scholar in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Arizona at Tuscon, was a pioneer in the field of medical ethics. For ten years, he was a resident philosopher at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston (1952-1962), and for three years at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center (1962-1965). Tim Madigan will give a talk on Romanells career in medical ethics, and Romanell will speak on "Conflicts of Life and the Problems of Good." Other speakers include SUNY-Buffalo Professor of Philosophy Peter Hare and SUNY-Cortland Professor of Philosophy John Ryder. A reception will follow. For details, contact Tim Madigan at 636-7571.

An Encomium for the Center

The University of British Columbia Centre for Applied Ethics has added the Center to its list of "Featured Applied Ethics Web Sites." Its announcement states the "this is one of the better, more content-laden bioethics sites around."

Upcoming Lectures

Thursday, April 10. The 1996-1997 Charles Elwood Memorial Lecture. The Buffalo Academy of Medicine Presents: Paul W. Kurtz, PhD, professor emeritus of philosophy, SUNY-Buffalo: "Evaluation of Miracle Claims." The Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Avenue. 6:00 PM: Reception; 6:30 PM: Dinner; 7:30 PM: Lecture. Reception, Dinner and Lecture. Members: $45.00; Non-members: $50.00; Residents-Students: $25.00. Send checks to: Buffalo Academy of Medicine, Box 114, Hiler Branch, Buffalo, New York 14223. For details, call 836-5172.

Thursday, April 10-Friday, April 11. "Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Multidisciplinary Discussion." Alumnae Hall Auditorium, Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA. Sponsored by the Ethics Institute, a joint venture of Cedar Crest College and Lehigh Valley Hospital. Speakers include: Timothy Quill, MD, professor of medicine and psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry; George J. Annas, JD, MPH, professor and chair of health law department, Boston University School of Public Health; and Allen D. Verhey, PhD, chair and professor of religion, Hope College. For information and registration material, call 610-740-3790.

Friday, April 11. "Genetics for the Generalist." Presenters: Robert Gorlin, DDS, MS, Dsc, Richard Johnston, MD, Edwin Naylor, PhD, MPH, Robert Guthrey. Sponsored by the SUNY-Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, through the Departments of Family Medicine and Nursing and by the March of Dimes. Held from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. For further information, contact Juliann Stevens at 878-7530.

Wednesday, April 16. "Living With Grief: When Illness is Prolonged. A national bereavement teleconference via satellite from Washington, D.C. 1:30 - 4:00 PM. Horizons Plaza, WNY Public Broadcasting Association, Lower Terrace & Charles Streets, Buffalo. Moderator: Cokie Roberts, ABC and NPR Correspondent. Panel: Betty J. Davies, PhD, University of British Columbia; Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, College of New Rochelle; Dr. William Lamers, Jr., founder of American Hospice Movement; Therese A. Rando, PhD, Institute for the Study and Treatment of Loss. To register, call Hospice at 686-8258.

Wednesday, April 23. Sister Carol Taylor, PhD Candidate, MSN, RN, Ethicist and Assistant Professor, Holy Family College, Philadelphia, will lead a conference on "The Culture of Caregiving." 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Radisson Hotel & Suites, Genesee Street, Across from the Buffalo Airport. Topics to be addressed include: Health Care Reform and Threats to Human Well-Being; Managed Care and Ethical Issues; and Ethical Competence. Cost: ECMC Healthcare Network employees, $25.00; Students, $35.00; Others: $75.00. The deadline to register is Wednesday, April 16. Send check or money order to: ECMC Lifeline Foundation, Erie County Medical Center, Nursing Education Department, 462 Grider Street, Buffalo, NY 14215. For further information, contact ECMC's Nursing Education Department at 898-3253.

Friday, April 25-Saturday, April 26. "Academic Freedom in Perspective," a conference at Canisius College. Topics to be addressed include: Tenure and Academic Freedom; Academic Freedom in Canada; Academic Freedom and Political Correctness. For details, contact Dr. Henry C. Clark, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY 14208; phone: 888-2682; fax: 888-2525; e-mail:clark@canisius.edu.

Saturday, April 26. Spring Clinical Day 1997 - "Rationing of Health Care." Buffalo Marriott Hotel. The morning program will provide strategies for avoiding the pitfalls and maximizing the advantages of various managed care organizations. Managed care will be discussed from three perspectives: the hospital CEO, the private physician, and the insurer. During the morning, a panel discussion is planned with case histories illustrating some of the tougher issues concerning the rationing of health care dollars. At noon, the keynote speaker will be Barbara A. DeBuono, MD, MPH, the Commissioner of Health for the State of New York. In addition to giving the luncheon address, Dr. DeBuono will be participating in the Rationing of Health Care in America panel discussion. For further information, call 829-2778.

Thursday, May 1. "Living With Your HMO - Preparing for Capitation." 12 Noon. Buffalo Marriott Hotel, 1340 Millersport Hwy. Sponsored by the SUNY-Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, through the Department of Medicine. Approved for 1.0 AMA/PRA Category 1 credit. For further information, contact Holmes McGuigan at 898-5212.

Wednesday, May 14. "Ethics of Human Genetics: Christian, Jewish and Secular Perspectives." Sponsored by Duquesne University and St. Francis Medical Center. The conference will bring religious and secular insights to bear on the implications of the human genome project. For information, call Christine Sedlack at 412-622-4210.

Monday, June 30. Joseph J. Fins, MD will be in Buffalo for a number of activities, including City-Wide Ethics Grand Rounds. Dr. Fins is on the staff of Cornell University Medical College, the Hastings Center, and is the Director of Clinical Ethics at New York Hospital. More details concerning his visit will appear in future issues of the Monday, June 30. Joseph J. Fins, MD will be in Buffalo for a number of activities, including City-Wide Ethics Grand Rounds. Dr. Fins is on the staff of Cornell University Medical College, the Hastings Center, and is the Director of Clinical Ethics at New York Hospital. More details concerning his visit will appear in future issues of "Bioethics Bulletin."

SUNY-Buffalo Courses on Bioethics

Two courses devoted to Biomedical Ethics are being offered this Spring semester at the SUNY-Buffalo South Campus. Center members are welcome to attend individual sessions of interest.

Stephen Wear, PhD, Center co-director, is offering a course for undergraduates, "Social and Ethical Values in Medicine," Tuesdays from 4:00 PM to 6:20 PM, Diefendorf 148. April meetings are as follows:

A course on Graduate Research Ethics is being offered by SUNY-Buffalo Professor of Philosophy Richard Hull. He is the course coordinator and principal lecturer. The course was previously offered under the auspices of the SUNY-Buffalo School of Pharmacy, but in view of its general importance it has been adopted by the Graduate School. It offers a broad analysis of ethical issues in science, ranging from scientific misconduct, intellectual property rights, data handling and preservation, and issues around genetic diseases and information. The course meets every Thursday, from 5:15 PM to 6:50 PM, in Room 111 Kimball Tower, South Campus. For further information, contact the Graduate School, at 645-7315.

April meetings are as follows:

Conference News

On April 4-5, 1997 D'Youville College will host the Eastern International Region Meeting of the American Academy of Religion. Papers to be presented will include a wide range of issues in the academic study of religion. Because of D'Youville's strong association with degree programs in health care fields, one of the featured themes at this conference will be religion and health. Featured speakers include: Professor Stephen Post of Case Western Reserve University, on the topic "Religion, Ethics, and the Human Genome Project"; and Professor Leslie Fiedler of SUNY-Buffalo, author of the recent book The Tyranny of the Normal: Essays on Bioethics, Theology, and Myth. Other anticipated papers deal with such topics as healing and symbols in medicine and religion; near-death experiences; the Genome Project; ethical and theological reflections on disability and retardation; and religious and medical approaches to the concept of the human body. Registration information and a program outline will be available in late January. To be placed on a mailing list, contact: Dr. Paul R. Johnson, Program Coordinator, AAR-EIR, D'Youville College, 320 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14201; fax: 881-7760.

Call for Papers

The University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics is hosting the 1998 Canadian Bioethics Society Annual Meeting. The planning committee would like input regarding the plenary sessions. Please send your suggestions for plenary speakers and/or topics to Peter Singer (preferably by e-mail) by April 15: Peter.Singer@utoronto.ca ; fax: 1-416-978-1911; mail: 88 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G-1L4.

The Center for Multicultural Nursing & Health and African-Americans for Humanism will sponsor a conference on "Ethical Dilemmas Arising from Multicultural Differences in Health" in late Fall of 1997. To submit abstracts and/or manuscripts for possible presentation, or for additional information, contact: Essie Alberta Riley Eddins, PhD, RN, SM, PO Box 889, Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, New York 14722; phone and fax: 357-2479.

Members Corner

The Members Corner is designed to note research, presentations and published articles and books by Center members. Please send all such information to the newsletter editor so that the Center can keep members informed about the work occurring in this area.

"Bioethics Bulletin" editor Tim Madigan gave a talk entitled "The Discarded Lemon: Kant, Prostitution and Respect for Persons", at the First International Conference on Prostitution, March 15, 1997, in Los Angeles, California.

"Sexual love makes of the loved person an object of appetite; as soon as that appetite has been stilled, the person is cast aside as one casts away a lemon which has been sucked dry." - Immanuel Kant

Immanuel Kant argued that prostitution is immoral because it involves treating a person as merely a means to and end. Furthermore, by focusing solely on the sexual appetite, it puts humans on the same level as the beasts. In this paper, I will argue that one can be a consistent Kantian and argue in favor of prostitution, by emphasizing the universal need for sexual fulfillment and Kant's notion of respect for people's autonomous decisions.

Comments and Suggestions

Your comments and suggestions regarding this newsletter are encouraged. Please send them to the Center address, or by e-mail to the newsletter editor, Tim Madigan timmadigan@aol.com. We also need information on upcoming events that would be of interest to Center members. The deadline for the next newsletter is April 15th.