|
Open Forum Panel Discussion
Focus of the forum is a fascinating Jacksonville hospital story, reported in the Florida Times Union, that attracted state-wide interest. A pregnant woman, at term and in extended labor, had developed complications which, in the opinion of her obstetrician, Dr. Neil Sager, threatened both her and the unborn child. He felt an emergent Caesarean section was needed, but the mother was refusing on religious grounds. After hospital legal and ethics consults were obtained, an appeal was made to State Attorney Harry Shorstein. Mr. Shorstein, in 20 minutes time, researched an obscure state law, contacted Chief Circuit Judge Donald Moran who convened a hearing, swore in and deposed Dr. Sager, and then issued an order to perform the procedure. A C-section was performed and a healthy child was delivered. Both of these events, while
touching on issues that have been argued forcibly in the conflict on abortion,
raise some novel and intriguing questions. Under what circumstances can the
health or life of the unborn garner rights and protection under the current
laws? Under what circumstances can or should the unborn child's life or health
supercede the autonomy of the mother? Does 'sentence' or 'being born' or the
'imminence' of disease or health to those born, somehow, lay claim to the resources
the unborn could provide us? How much 'medicine' should the law be allowed to
practice? To learn more about the
case, go to |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright
©
2005
- 2007
University
of North
Florida. All Rights Reserved. Contact Info |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
