Bioethike

Some talking points for my health care ethics class at Creighton this week:
In week four, I contrasted Wallwork (2008) and Speer’s (2008) differing approaches to community involvement in research. In order to accommodate community insights, foster inclusiveness, and facilitate power-sharing, I suggested that community-research partnerships (CRPs) as highlighted by Wallwork would be “a far better [...]

Read Full Post »

Beyond the Letter: Adhering to the Spirit of Ethical Principles in Human Research
Robert C. Baker
In partial fulfillment of MHE 602 Section 01 Research Ethics
Spring I, 2010
The recent 7.0-in-magnitude earthquake affecting Haiti is tragic on many levels.  Combined with relentless local poverty, a decrepit infrastructure, poorly-constructed housing, and a weak central government unable to manage the [...]

Read Full Post »

BioEdge notes that “bioethicist” has become a dirty word for some Americans. Now, apparently, atheist bioethicists are starting to flex a bit more muscle:
They recently published an article in the Guardian’s “Comment is free” blog, under the headline, “Stand up, stand up, against Jesus”. They reject accommodationist atheism which cozies up to religious people if [...]

Read Full Post »

Here’s my latest discussion piece as part of my master’s program at Creighton University:
Roe v. Wade, U.S. 113 (1973)
Like Griswold, Roe v. Wade marks a departure from an objective jurisprudence concerning a proper textual interpretation of the U.S. Constitution to a more subjective reading. And, like Griswold, history has revealed that issues regarding the case [...]

Read Full Post »

As part of my course work at Creighton University, here’s my contribution to last week’s discussion on the landmark Supreme Court case establishing a “right to privacy” and legalizing contraception nationwide.
Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 459 (1965)
Hindsight is 20-20. The forty-plus years after Griswold have validated the concerns expressed by social and religious conservatives and [...]

Read Full Post »

As part of my masters program in health care ethics at Creighton University, my class was asked to present brief remarks to a hypothetical congressional committee regarding one aspect of health care in view of vulnerable populations. Here’s my stab at it:
Madam Chair, members of the Committee, my name is Robert C. Baker. I am [...]

Read Full Post »

My week four submission to Creighton University:
A state which is not governed according to justice would be just a bunch of thieves.
Augustine, De Civitate Dei
Strip away acrimonious speech, political grandstanding, and the now infamous August “town maul” meetings and what do you have? Health care. At least a national debate about health care, a conversation [...]

Read Full Post »

Another brief paper submitted as part of my first health care ethics class at Creighton University:
Robert C. Baker
MH 601
September 18, 2009
A mother hands each of her two children a cookie.
One cookie is larger than the other.
Silly mother!
Unequal distribution of valuable and scarce resources occurs all across the globe. It has been repeated an infinite number [...]

Read Full Post »

Here is a recent, short paper I wrote for my initial class at Creighton University for the master’s in health care ethics program:
Robert C. Baker
MH 601
September 11, 2009
“Is there anything else I can get you, Herr Baker?”
“Nein; vielen Dank. Auf Wiedersehen.”
And so ended my first exposure to German emergency medical care, necessitated by a cheap [...]

Read Full Post »