Hilary's Desk

Back in 2010, the New York Times Dr, Abigail Zugar, did a book review of a book called "White Coat, Black Hat" by Dr Carl Elliott, which anyone with any sense, should read.  Dr Elliot details the murky world of the medical system. The medical system is supposedly kept "murk" clean, by a variety of different "ethics" boards or committees elected on the assumption that their "wisdom" will always be correct.  Medical schools have medical ethics departments, which also keep an eye on the curriculum.  But are "medical ethicists", as a group, worth trusting?  Like any barrel of apples, there are good ones, and bad ones.

First, how do you define "ethics".  Is there one absolute "international" standard, or is "ethics" dependant upon who you talk to, or what situation you are in (situational ethics)?  Why are some things "ethical" in one country and not in another?

"Medical ethics" is a recurring topic of interest to me, for several reasons.  Continue Reading

Whose right - Piri, Dita de Boni, Kara, Docherty or the Herald Editorial? None of them. And let me say, straight up, I breastfed, because I wanted to, I could - and I KNEW what the medical literature said about breastmilk.  Now, it says way more. Mammary glands are made to feed babies - with anything else, extra-curricula.  The problem with saying that FORMULA feeding is a choice, is that actually, people who feed formula, aren't given a choice.
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