July 9, 2010 

Hi there,

One of the really cool things about being a
journalist is that you need not actually know very much. You just report what
other people said and did in a more or less colourful way. In fact, as a famous
British war correspondent once pointed out, “tout comprendre, c’est tout
pardonner” and “tout pardonner” makes dull copy.

Of course, one needs to comprehend
something, especially in bioethics, where some — all actually — of the issues
are so thorny and controversial. But I frankly confess to being baffled by the
angry American debate over healthcare rationing. Is it being thrifty or is it
violating human rights?

I am grateful to Jacob M. Appel, who writes
for a sterling bioethical journal called The Huffington Post, for enlightening
me. In a recent contribution he makes the argument for rationing in the
starkest possible terms: let’s unplug patients in a permanent vegetative state.
Caring for them costs too much. (See below.)

When it is framed in such black and white
terms, it is not difficult for me to make up my mind – at least at the outer
margins of the debate. I doubt that the Obama Administration will be using Mr
Appel as a consultant, but at least I now see what is at stake. So thanks,
Jacob.

What do you think? Make a comment.

Cheers,

Michael Cook

Editor