A British researcher has recently issued a paper on the subject of diagnoses of “Persistent Vegitative States” (PVS) that is sending shock waves through the culture of death. A British woman that had been diagnosed as PVS was studied over several months using functional MRI (fMRI) technology. This technology can “see” thoughts. Actually it detects changes in blood flow in different areas of the brain as they are stimulated/accessed. It was found that the woman was actually thinking and feeling and imagining and understanding words spoken to her. The goal was to determine if fMRI can be used as a tool to better diagnose those people who truly are in a PVS vs those who may have some consiousness. Current estimates I’ve read indicate that PVS may be misdiagnosed as much as 35% of the time or more. Nobody really knows for sure how accurate that estimation is however. The simple fact of the matter is that the diagnosis of PVS is extremely difficult to make with any certainty using the current tools. That is why this is such big news. If a better tool can be found to help diagnose those who are still minimally concious and may be aware but unable to interact with the world, the culture of death will have a much harder time killing off those who they have decided are not worth trying to save or treat. Here is the money quote:
Dr. Joseph Fins of Cornell University’s Weill Medical College in New York cautioned that because so little is known, such brain scans might complicate decision-making.
“This one picture may require a thousand words,” he said. “The technology is going to answer some questions, but it will create some difficult choices for families.”
In other words, “It will make it harder for us to pull the plug because families will demand that a better diagnosis be made.” Heh, god forbid you actually try to serve the patient’s best interest instead of yours, the insurance company’s, or the hospital’s.
Others are dismissing it out of hand so that they may continue to play god:
“You don’t really know whether the patient is imagining a tennis game or simply responding to the word ‘tennis’ ” in much the same way that she would respond to a pin prick, Dr. Paul Matthews of Imperial College London told the journal Nature. “There is a lot that’s interesting about this research, but I think their result is overclaimed.”
Meaning “We know best, who the hell does the patient’s family think they are questioning my right to kill my patient at a whim?”
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19 Responses to “Another nail in the coffin of the “Culture of Death””Search
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WARNING: GLOBAL ANTI-LIBERAL STATEMENT FOLLOWING!
Of course, many of those people who “are dismissing it out of hand so that they may continue to play god” are the same folks who lobby both FOR the killing of unborn babies (well over 35% of whom would otherwise successfully make it to birth) and AGAINST the killing of convicted criminals (because we might accidentally kill an innocent man, although the known instances of this happening are way under 35%). But a misdiagnosis ratio of 35% is apparently an acceptible loss, when it comes to helpless sick people who are really just a burden on everyone.
Sheesh, I’m beginning to feel my own noggin’ shaking just a bit…
THIS HAS BEEN AN OFFENSIVE, ANTI-LIBERAL RANT. WE MAY NOW RESUME YOUR NORMAL VIEWING…
A year ago, in fact whan Katrina hit, I was unconsious in ICU at a local northwast hospital. I was very near death for 29 days - my family was told I would never come out of it, but if I did I would be a carrot or a tomato (ok not in those words) What is no one believed in me, that I would get well - I’d be dead today!
This culture of death in the medical community is totally agaist the oath they take - what happened to “FIRST DO NO HARM”
We want a picture….to decide for ourselves if you are a tomato, DB. :>)
Blonde,
are you sure you werent “asleep”
#3, the real question is if she is a “natural” tomato, or if it is an orange that has been dyed…..
NO NO NO I am a carrot - and to prove it I keep dying my hair red, but alas, the blonde keeps coming back - I tried to claim brain damage after being in a coma - but all who knew me before say I was always a bit flighty
besides guys a tomato is a fruit!
I am absolutly opposed to death and refuse to participate.
death and taxes - I want to be the first to avoid both - anyone with any ideas on how to accomplish it?
But this story really is serious. Today so often we have so called medical ethicists deciding that this or that live is not worth living. My friend here at work has a mongloid daughter, many would say her life is useless, but she has brought both her momm and dad and grandparents, aunts uncles ect… 28 years of great joy.
I disaproved of the Terry Shivo situation, starving & dehydrating a person to death is cruel - if not why did the very doctor who said it was a good thing - precribe high doses of morphine to keep her comfortable? It is not the same as turning off a ventalator and allowing a person to go within minutes.
FIRST DO NO HARM!
#9, it is possible to avoid taxes, not easy, but possible. avoiding death however… well…..
Uh….nope ain’t gonna say it.
Avoid death and taxes:
Cryogenically freeze yourself and get shot into space. No property tax, no sales tax (after freezing), and since you may be resurrected at some point (unless some doctor determines you’ll be broccoli), you won’t *actually* be dead.?!
…the culture of death will have a much harder time killing off those who they have decided are not worth trying to save or treat.
I think you greatly underestimate the determination of the culture to rid us the inconveniently weak and defenseless.
#13, no Bill, I know they will fight tooth and nail, hell, unconsciousness/PVS is not even a prerequisite for them. If you recall a few months back we had a woman in Methodist that was awake and begging to be allowed to live and the “Ethicists” wanted to pull the plug anyway.
My point was that if it can be proved that the person is aware, then it is much more difficult to win in the court of public opinion which is where these things will usually play out.
correction, it was St. Luke’s.
Definitely Blonde
In my eyes you are a sweet tomato! Thank God you got through that ordeal! Thank God for your family for sticking by you.
#8 you don’t have a choice.
Death for everyone is inevitable. There is nothing to worry about because your spirit will still be around even if your body isn’t and you will be resurrected eventually.
Didn’t some guy around 1940 or so try to kill those that weren’t up to standard? I seem to remember that he was a national socialist too.
Maybe I’m not remembering it correctly.
#18, Yep, and it is funny since the socialists in THIS country like to call Republicans Nazi’s when in fact their party is more closely aligned with nazis than Republicans are. Another thing they tend to forget was that Hitler was freely elected by a large margin.