Happy birthday, Baby Doe

Today would have been Baby Doe's birthday. But, when Baby Doe was born in 1982, he was born with Down syndrome and his doctor believed some individuals with Down syndrome were "mere blobs." The doctor's medical advice to Baby Doe's parents was that they should let their child die from lack of care. I wrote about this in 2010. Re-reading the column, I was reminded of then-current examples of these views still being expressed and practiced. Lest we think this attitude towards withholding care to Continue Reading

Lower termination rate = higher terminations?

Today, at a column at Amy Julia Becker's blog, I explain how the math works out to explain the headline and the graphic for this post. I hope you will visit her blog and my column at this link. Continue Reading

Two birthdays with competing legacies

Ten score and four years ago today, Abraham Lincoln was born. That same day 204 years ago also was the birthday of Charles Darwin. The competing legacies of these two men twist through history like the spiraling parallel sides of the DNA molecule. Continue Reading