Kevin O'Rourke: Ethical Issues in Health Care

Kevin O'Rourke OP:
Ethical Issues in Health Care

Monthly during the academic year, Kevin O'Rourke, OP, JCD, STM, Director of the Center for Health Care Ethics, St. Louis University Medical Center, St. Louis, Mo., published a short newsletter seeking to discuss ethical issues that affect people preparing for, or involved in, the health care professions. Here is a collection of most of these letters, presented in chronological order.

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Ethical Issues in Health Care
September, 1979; I/1. Can We Agree?
October, 1979; I/2.

Definition of Death
Legislation
November, 1979; I/3. On Selling Organs
December, 1979; I/4.

Telling the Truth to Patients
January, 1980; I/5. Transplanting Corneal Tissue
February, 1980; I/6.

Whose Life Is It Anyway?
March, 1980; I/7. Informed Consent
April, 1980; I/8.

The Ethical Physician
May, 1980; I/9. Proxy Consent:
Deciding for Others
October, 1980; II/2.

Addiction
or Chemical Dependency
November, 1980; II/3. Ethical Norms
for Medicine in the U.S.
December, 1980; II/4.

For a Sexual Future
January, 1981; II/5. Allowing a Person to Die
February, 1981; II/6.

End Stage Renal Disease
March, 1981; II/7. The Human Factor
in Medical Error
April, 1981; II/8.

How Health Care
Becomes a Business
May, 1981; II/9. Evaluating
In Vitro Fertilization
September, 1981; III/1.

"Don't be judgmental"
October, 1981; III/2. Peace On Earth,
Good Will Toward Some
December, 1981; III/4.

Suicide:
A Rational Choice?
January, 1982; III/5. Physicians & Stress
in the 21st Century
February, 1982; III/6.

Genetic Engineering:
Some Ethical Observations
March, 1982; III/7. Autopsy: Ethical
& Religious Considerations.
April, 1982; III/8.

The Infant Doe Case
May, 1982; III/9. Masking Ethical Dilemmas
in Medicine
September, 1982; IV/1.

Who Shall Live?
November, 1982; IV/3. Ethical Issues
in a Pluralistic Society
January, 1983; IV/5.

Tube Feeding:
Routine Nursing Care?
March, 1983; IV/7. Ethics Committees
in Hospitals
May, 1983; IV/9.

"Only God Can
Help My Daughter"
September, 1983; V/1. Counseling and Values
November, 1983; V/3.

The Baby Doe Legacy
January, 1984; V/5. Economics & Health Care:
The Dominating Values
March, 1984; V/7.

Treating Hopelessly Ill Patients
April, 1984; V/8. Medical Ethics:
Where Does It Come From?
September, 1984; VI/1.

The Baby Fae Legacy
November, 1984; VI/3. The Claire Conroy Case:
Withholding Tube Feeding
January, 1985; VI/5.

The Arizona Heart Transplants
March, 1985; VI/7. The Values Inherent
in Medical Care
May, 1985; VI/9.

Mercy Killing
& Allowing to Die
September, 1985; VII/1. Who Will Determine
Medical Ethics?
November, 1985; VII/3.

Ethical Issues in Research
February, 1986; VII/6. The AMA Statement
on Tube Feeding
April, 1986; VII/8.

Various Ethical Systems
September, 1986; VIII/1. On Playing God
November, 1986; VIII/3.

Physicians: Healers
or Officers of the Court
January, 1987; VIII/5. King Solomon & Baby M
March, 1987; VIII/7.

Anencephalic Infants:
Alive or Dead?
May, 1987; VIII/9. Research With Fetal Tissue
September, 1987; IX/1.

Role of Ethics
in Medical Decision Making
November, 1987; IX/3. Euthanasia, On the Horizon?
January, 1988; IX/5.

The Critical Question
February, 1988; IX/6. Physician Competency,
Whose Responsibility?
June, 1988; IX/10.

Pain:
Some Ethical Considerations
October, 1988; X/2. Nancy Beth Cruzan Revisited
November, 1988; X/3.

Research on Human Embryos
January, 1989; X/5. Statement of the American
Academy of Neurology
March, 1989; X/7.

Professionalism:
The Essence is Empathy
June, 1989; X/10. Medical Ethics
Requires Accurate Distinctions
Septembe, 1989; XI/1.

AIDS Research
Innovative Methods
November, 1989; XI/3. Treatment of Rape Victims
January, 1990; XI/5.

Conceiving One Child
To Save Amother
March, 1990; XI/7. Use of Artificial
Hydration & Nutrition
June, 1990; XI/10.

Living Will &
Durable Power of Attorney
October, 1990; XII/2. Informed Consent
in the Neonatal Care Unit
December, 1990; XII/4.

Unfinished Business
in the Cruzan Case
January, 1991; XII/5. CPR & DNR Revisited
March, 1991; XII/7.

The Patient
Self Determination Act
May, 1991; XII/9. Enlightened Legislation:
Ethical Considerations
December, 1991; XIII/4.

Genetics, Religion, & Ethics
March, 1992; XIII/7. The Oregon Plan:
Portents for the Future?
September, 1992; XIV/1.

Physician Self Referral:
Ethical Issues
December, 1992; XIV/4. Ethical Criteria
for Removing Life Support
March, 1993; XIV/7.

Is There a Human Right
to Health Care?
September, 1993; XV/1. Separating the Lakeberg Twins:
Ethical Issues
January, 1995; XV/5.

Informed Consent:
Therapeutic & Nontherapeutic Trials
May, 1994; XV/9. Physician Assisted Suicide:
An Ethical Analysis of Presuppositions
September, 1994; XVI/1.

Embryo Research:
Ethical Issues
January, 1995; XVI/5. Genetic Testing:
Ethical Issues
May, 1995; XVI/9.

"No Greater Love"
October, 1995; XVII/2. Lessons in Care
of the Dying
December, 1995; XVII/4.

Federal Courts Approve
Physician Assisted Suicide
April, 1996; XVII/8. Religious Beliefs
& Life Saving Theory
December, 1996; XVIII/4.

Treating Symptoms
or Basic Causes
April, 1997; XVIII/8. Medical Ethics
in Need of Repair
Fall, 1997.

Handling
The 800 Pound Gorilla
December, 1997; XIX/4.

| O'Rourke |

Ethical Issues in Health Care September, 1979; I/1.	Can We Agree? October, 1979; I/2.
Definition of Death Legislation November, 1979; I/3.	On Selling Organs December, 1979; I/4.
Telling the Truth to Patients January, 1980; I/5.	Transplanting Corneal Tissue February, 1980; I/6.
Whose Life Is It Anyway? March, 1980; I/7.	Informed Consent April, 1980; I/8.
The Ethical Physician May, 1980; I/9.	Proxy Consent: Deciding for Others October, 1980; II/2.
Addiction or Chemical Dependency November, 1980; II/3.	Ethical Norms for Medicine in the U.S. December, 1980; II/4.
For a Sexual Future January, 1981; II/5.	Allowing a Person to Die February, 1981; II/6.
End Stage Renal Disease March, 1981; II/7.	The Human Factor in Medical Error April, 1981; II/8.
How Health Care Becomes a Business May, 1981; II/9.	Evaluating In Vitro Fertilization September, 1981; III/1.
"Don't be judgmental" October, 1981; III/2.	Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward Some December, 1981; III/4.
Suicide: A Rational Choice? January, 1982; III/5.	Physicians & Stress in the 21st Century February, 1982; III/6.
Genetic Engineering: Some Ethical Observations March, 1982; III/7.	Autopsy: Ethical & Religious Considerations. April, 1982; III/8.
The Infant Doe Case May, 1982; III/9.	Masking Ethical Dilemmas in Medicine September, 1982; IV/1.
Who Shall Live? November, 1982; IV/3.	Ethical Issues in a Pluralistic Society January, 1983; IV/5.
Tube Feeding: Routine Nursing Care? March, 1983; IV/7.	Ethics Committees in Hospitals May, 1983; IV/9.
"Only God Can Help My Daughter" September, 1983; V/1.	Counseling and Values November, 1983; V/3.
The Baby Doe Legacy January, 1984; V/5.	Economics & Health Care: The Dominating Values March, 1984; V/7.
Treating Hopelessly Ill Patients April, 1984; V/8.	Medical Ethics: Where Does It Come From? September, 1984; VI/1.
The Baby Fae Legacy November, 1984; VI/3.	The Claire Conroy Case: Withholding Tube Feeding January, 1985; VI/5.
The Arizona Heart Transplants March, 1985; VI/7.	The Values Inherent in Medical Care May, 1985; VI/9.
Mercy Killing & Allowing to Die September, 1985; VII/1.	Who Will Determine Medical Ethics? November, 1985; VII/3.
Ethical Issues in Research February, 1986; VII/6.	The AMA Statement on Tube Feeding April, 1986; VII/8.
Various Ethical Systems September, 1986; VIII/1.	On Playing God November, 1986; VIII/3.
Physicians: Healers or Officers of the Court January, 1987; VIII/5.	King Solomon & Baby M March, 1987; VIII/7.
Anencephalic Infants: Alive or Dead? May, 1987; VIII/9.	Research With Fetal Tissue September, 1987; IX/1.
Role of Ethics in Medical Decision Making November, 1987; IX/3.	Euthanasia, On the Horizon? January, 1988; IX/5.
The Critical Question February, 1988; IX/6.	Physician Competency, Whose Responsibility? June, 1988; IX/10.
Pain: Some Ethical Considerations October, 1988; X/2.	Nancy Beth Cruzan Revisited November, 1988; X/3.
Research on Human Embryos January, 1989; X/5.	Statement of the American Academy of Neurology March, 1989; X/7.
Professionalism: The Essence is Empathy June, 1989; X/10.	Medical Ethics Requires Accurate Distinctions Septembe, 1989; XI/1.
AIDS Research Innovative Methods November, 1989; XI/3.	Treatment of Rape Victims January, 1990; XI/5.
Conceiving One Child To Save Amother March, 1990; XI/7.	Use of Artificial Hydration & Nutrition June, 1990; XI/10.
Living Will & Durable Power of Attorney October, 1990; XII/2.	Informed Consent in the Neonatal Care Unit December, 1990; XII/4.
Unfinished Business in the Cruzan Case January, 1991; XII/5.	CPR & DNR Revisited March, 1991; XII/7.
The Patient Self Determination Act May, 1991; XII/9.	Enlightened Legislation: Ethical Considerations December, 1991; XIII/4.
Genetics, Religion, & Ethics March, 1992; XIII/7.	The Oregon Plan: Portents for the Future? September, 1992; XIV/1.
Physician Self Referral: Ethical Issues December, 1992; XIV/4.	Ethical Criteria for Removing Life Support March, 1993; XIV/7.
Is There a Human Right to Health Care? September, 1993; XV/1.	Separating the Lakeberg Twins: Ethical Issues January, 1995; XV/5.
Informed Consent: Therapeutic & Nontherapeutic Trials May, 1994; XV/9.	Physician Assisted Suicide: An Ethical Analysis of Presuppositions September, 1994; XVI/1.
Embryo Research: Ethical Issues January, 1995; XVI/5.	Genetic Testing: Ethical Issues May, 1995; XVI/9.
"No Greater Love" October, 1995; XVII/2.	Lessons in Care of the Dying December, 1995; XVII/4.
Federal Courts Approve Physician Assisted Suicide April, 1996; XVII/8.	Religious Beliefs & Life Saving Theory December, 1996; XVIII/4.
Treating Symptoms or Basic Causes April, 1997; XVIII/8.	Medical Ethics in Need of Repair Fall, 1997.
Handling The 800 Pound Gorilla December, 1997; XIX/4.