The FDA has recently approved the French emergency contraceptive drug (ella) for clinical use in the United States. In an earlier blog post, we expressed our objection. The new drug is actually chemically related to the abortion drug RU-486 (mifepristone), and it has a high likelihood acting as an abortifacient.... View Article
Is free will just an illusion? Determinism implies that human beings have no real choices. If so, then moral philosophy and ethics have no basis. Here are excerpts from a debate between a theist (Dr. Dennis Sullivan, Cedarville University) and an atheist (Dr. William Provine, Cornell University).
Our nation has been engaged in a contentious debate over legislation to reform the health care system. Dr. John Vitaliti returns as my guest to discuss the ethical issues at the root of our current health care crisis. A subsequent podcast will look at the pros and cons of various... View Article
When medical errors happen, should doctors apologize to their patients? Doesn’t that idea simply guarantee a costly lawsuit? What are the ethical implications of all this? In this podcast, we discuss the ethics of apologies. My guest is Dr. John Vitaliti, a former practicing anesthesiologist, who studies the issues surrounding... View Article
In a radio interview, Center for Bioethics Director Dennis Sullivan discusses the elimination of the Ethics Department at the University of Tennessee School of Medicine.
New biomedical technologies, combined with our current economic crisis and growing skepticism over values in our society, have formed a “perfect wave” of ethical challenges. The coming bioethics tsunami threatens to overwhelm our historical commitment to human value and dignity. This month’s podcast is based on an address Dr. Sullivan... View Article
February’s podcast is about the seemingly wide chasm between pro-life ideals and environmental activism. Why is it so difficult to advocate for the two ideas at the same time, especially when the value of human life and stewardship of natural resources are both biblical themes? Dr. Sullivan’s guest today is... View Article
Our podcast for November is a discussion of the complex issue of surrogate motherhood. In many parts of the world it is legal, but is it ethical? We present case study of a British couple that went to India to obtain a baby with the help of a surrogate. Our... View Article
Our July podcast is all about medical tourism. This is a growing trend in the United States, where some patients are going to other countries for their medical care. The idea is perhaps understandable in a medical system overburdened with waiting lists, third-party payer denials, and high costs. But there... View Article
Today’s podcast is all about the subject of human cloning. The discussion is based on Dr. Sullivan’s recent public testimony before an Ohio Senate subcommittee on a bill to ban human cloning. We examine the context of cloning, both as a possible reproductive technology and (more likely) as a source... View Article