Bioethics On Air

NCBC ethicists Dr. Ted Furton and Dr. John Brehany join Joe Zalot to discuss the USCCB Doctrine Committee’s “Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body” and the impact it can have on Catholic health care. Resources 1. USCCB Committee on Doctrine, “Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body” – https://www.usccb.org/resources/Doctrinal%20Note%202023-03-20.pdf 2. NCBC, “Brief Statement on Transgenderism” (2017) – https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3ada1a6a2e8d6a131d1dcd/t/5eb96ca6784e2246467b42b1/1589210278798/Q16.4_05_TransgenderStatement_REV.pdf 3. NCBC, Transgender Issues in Catholic Health Care (2021) – https://www.ncbcenter.org/store/transgenderissues. See especially chapter 4: “Catholic Health Care and Gender Identity: A Resource for Policy Guidance;” and chapter 5: “Template Policy for Catholic Health Care and Gender Identity.”

Neurologist Christopher DeCock, MD, joins Joe Zalot to discuss how proposed changes to the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA) could change the legal definition of brain death. Resources 1. Dr. Christopher DeCock info – https://www.essentiahealth.org/find-doctor-provider/profile/christopher-decock/ 2. Uniform Determination of Death Act – https://higherlogicdownload.s3-external-1.amazonaws.com/UNIFORMLAWS/4d19d096-be64-3c0f-ae71-a514b64c06a6_file.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAVRDO7IEREB57R7MT&Expires=1676665298&Signature=TyhShhP9KKdB%2Fhrlzz0xrFYVgdY%3D 3. Uniform Law Commission - https://www.uniformlaws.org/home

Dr. John Haas, NCBC President Emeritus, and Dr. Joseph Meaney, current NCBC President, join Joe Zalot to commemorate the Center’s accomplishments over its first fifty years and chart its course for the future. Resources 1. Dr. John Haas brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/johnhaas 2. Dr. Joseph Meaney brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/joseph-meaney-phd 3. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI, On Conscience, The National Catholic Bioethics Center, 2007 – https://www.ncbcenter.org/store/on-conscience

Dr. John Brehany, NCBC Director of Institutional Relations, joins Joe Zalot to discuss possible consequences of the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) revised messaging that Plan B is not an abortifacient. Resources 1. Dr. John Brehany brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/johnbrehany 2. FDA, Plan B One Step Information – https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/plan-b-one-step-15-mg-levonorgestrel-information 3. Bioethics on Air, episode 75: “Straight Talk on Chemical Abortion” – https://www.ncbcenter.org/bioethics-on-air-podcast-cms/episode-75-straight-talk-on-chemical-abortion

Dr. John Brehany, NCBC Director of Institutional Relations, joins Joe Zalot to discuss the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) revised messaging that Plan B is not an abortifacient. Resources 1. Dr. John Brehany brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/johnbrehany 2. FDA, Plan B One Step Information – https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/plan-b-one-step-15-mg-levonorgestrel-information 3. FDA, Decisional Memorandum on Plan B – https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/021998Orig1s005SumR.pdf 4. FDA Drug Facts Label for Plan B – https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/021998Orig1s005lbl.pdf If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate

Robert Smedley, President of the Matthias Group, joins Joe Zalot to discuss how Catholic employers can maintain Catholic identity and mission in their employee health benefits plans, focusing specifically on pharmaceuticals. Resources 1. The Matthias Group, LLC – https://matthiasgrp.com/. Contact info: smedley@matthiasgrp.com or 844-628-8477 2. “Mission Aligned Job Postings,” Catholic Benefits Association – https://catholicbenefitsassociation.org/mission-aligned-job-postings/ If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate

Dr. Marie Meaney joins Joe Zalot to discuss how her Catholic faith sustained her in her struggle with infertility, and inspired her to write the book "When Expecting Doesn’t Happen: Turning Infertility into a Journey of Hope." Resources 1. When Expecting Doesn’t Happen: Turning Infertility into a Journey of Hope – https://stpaulcenter.com/product/when-expecting-doesnt-happen-turning-infertility-into-a-journey-of-hope/ 2. Saint Paul VI Institute – https://popepaulvi.com/ 3. Hannah’s Tears – https://hannahstears.org/ 4. Springs in the Desert – https://springsinthedesert.org/ If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate

Bishop John Barres, ordinary of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (Long Island)—along with canon lawyer Fr. Brandon O’Brien—discuss the bishop’s governance with regard to Catholic health care, as well as his role in fostering its Catholic identity and ethical integrity. Resources: 1. Bishop Barres’ webpage – https://www.bishopbarres.com/ 2. “The Pastoral Role of the Diocesan Bishop in Catholic Health Care Ministry” –https://www.usccb.org/resources/The%20Pastoral%20Role%20of%20the%20Diocesan%20Bishop%20in%20Catholic%20Health%20Care%20Ministry%202_0.pdf If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate

Jenny Ingles, Director of Fertility and Life Ministries for the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan, discusses her state’s Proposal 3. If enacted by voters, Proposal 3 would enshrine the so-called right to abortion in the Michigan state constitution. Resources 1. Diocese of Lansing, MI: “Fight Like Heaven: Vote NO on Proposal 3” – https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/office-bishop/fight-heaven-54-day-rosary-novena 2. “Analysis: The Dangers Within Proposal 3” – https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/office-bishop/analysis-dangers-within-proposal-3 3. Jenny Ingles, “How Michigan’s Proposal 3 Allows Child Sterilization Without Parental Consent” – https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/how-michigan-s-proposal-3-allows-child-sterilization-without-parental-consent 4. Support Michigan Women and Children – https://supportmiwomenandchildren.org/donate/ 5. Bioethics on Air episodes 51 and 52, “Living and Loving NFP” (parts 1 & 2) Part 1 – https://www.ncbcenter.org/bioethics-on-air-podcast-cms/episode-51-living-and-loving-nfp-p

Pharmacy resident Angela Baalmann discusses ethical challenges facing faithful Catholic pharmacists drawing from her article “Pharmacist Refusal to Provide Contraceptive Services” published in the Spring 2022 edition of The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly. Resources 1. “Pharmacist Refusal to Provide Contraceptive Services” – https://www.pdcnet.org/collection/authorizedshow?id=ncbq_2022_0022_0001_0083_0097&pdfname=ncbq_2022_0022_0001_0083_0097.pdf&file_type=pdf 2. Catholic Pharmacists – https://www.catholicpharmacists.com/ 3. Catholic Medical Association – https://www.cathmed.org/ If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate

Dr. George Mychaskiw discusses the proposed St. Padre Pio Institute for the Relief of Suffering, School of Osteopathic Medicine, an institute that will “train faithful physicians in the Catholic framework, and through their practice of medicine evangelize the good news of Jesus Christ.” 1. St. Padre Pio Institute for the Relief of Suffering, School of Osteopathic Medicine (proposed) – https://www.chi-usa.com/chi-initiatives/catholic-medical-school/ 2. Catholic Healthcare International – https://www.chi-usa.com/ 3. Contact Dr. Mychaskiw directly at gmychaskiw@CHI-USA.com 4. Benedictine College, Atchison, KS – https://www.benedictine.edu/ If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate

Religious liberty attorney Eric Kniffin returns to Bioethics on Air to break down US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the case that reversed Roe v. Wade. Kniffin addresses originalism, how Roe was “egregiously wrong,” and why stare decisis did not apply in Dobbs. Note: Although not discussed, the podcast references the due process clause of the 14th Amendment which reads, “... nor shall any State deprive a person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of the law.” Resources 1. The Dobbs Decision (Justice Alito’s majority opinion begins on page 9) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf 2. Bioethics on Air episode 37: “Religious Liberty and Bostock” (June 29, 2020) https://www.ncbcenter.org/bioethics-on-air-podcast-cms/bioethics-on-air-episode-37-religious-liberty-and-bostockwith-attorney-eric-kniffen

Diocesan pro-life leaders Allison LeDoux (Worcester, MA) and Fr. Peter Ascik (Charlotte, NC) discuss the opportunities provided by, and the challenges facing, the Catholic Church in the post-Dobbs world. They also address the Church’s ongoing efforts to promote the culture of life in the United States. Resources: 1. Respect Life Office, Diocese of Worcester, MA – https://www.worcesterdiocese.org/respect-life 2. Office of Family Life, Diocese of Charlotte, NC – https://charlottediocese.org/office-of-family-life/ 3. Project Rachel Ministry – https://hopeafterabortion.com/ 4. Bioethics on Air episode 84: “Project Rachel Ministry” – https://www.ncbcenter.org/bioethics-on-air-podcast-cms/bioethics-on-air-episode-84-project-rachel-ministry 5. NCBC, “Medical Interventions During Pregnancy in Light of Dobbs” (coming soon) If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate

In part 2 of their interview, nursing student Elizabeth Niekrewicz and nurse educator DiAnn Ecret address concrete, practical steps that nursing students (and others) can take to protect their conscience rights in an increasingly hostile medical environment. Resources: 1. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Ethics in Health Care, https://www.ethics.va.gov/index.asp 2. NCBC, “Cooperation with Moral Evil,” https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3ada1a6a2e8d6a131d1dcd/t/5ed65fe1acf7c915f772f786/1591107554407/NCBCsummFAQ_2013_Cooperation.pdf 3. NCBC, “Transfer of Care vs. Referral: A Crucial Moral Distinction,” https://www.ncbcenter.org/resources-and-statements-cms/transfer-of-care-vs-referral-a-crucial-moral-distinction 4. Fr. Tad Pacholczyk’s “Making Sense of Bioethics” columns on cooperation with evil, https://www.ncbcenter.org/making-sense-of-bioethics-cms/tag/Cooperation%20in%20Evil 5. National Association of Catholic Nurses—USA, https://nacn-usa.org/ 6. Catholic Medical Association, http

Nursing student Elizabeth Niekrewicz and nurse educator DiAnn Ecret address ethical challenges facing nursing students both in the classroom and in clinicals. Issues discussed include the importance of—and changing nature of—the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, hierarchal power dynamics, and differing interpretations of the term advocacy. Resources: 1. Ashley Fernandes & DiAnn Ecret, “The Effect of Hierarchy on Moral Silence in Healthcare: What Can the Holocaust Teach Us?” Conatus - Journal of Philosophy, 4 (2019), 21–43. https://doi.org/10.12681/cjp.21763. 2. American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only 3. Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, sixth edition, 2018. https://www.usccb.org/resources/ethical-religious-directives-catholic-health-service-sixth-edition-2016-06_3.pdf

In part two of her interview, Grace-Marie Turner, President of the Galen Institute, addresses issues of cost, waste, and accessibility within the US health care sector. She also explains free market proposals for reform offered by the Health Policy Consensus Group in its publication Health Care Choices 2020: A Vision for the Future. Resources 1. Galen Institute – https://galen.org/ 2. Health Care Choices 2020: A Vision for the Future - https://galen.org/2020/health-care-choices-2020/ 3. “Applying Catholic Principles in Evaluating Health Care Reform Proposals,” Catholic Medical Association – https://www.cathmed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Catholic-Principles-in-Health-Reform.pdf

In the first of a two-part interview, Grace-Marie Turner, President of the Galen Institute, explains both the history and the many challenges facing the US health care sector, focusing on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). She also discusses the impact of implementing a single-payer system, or “Medicare for All,” in the United States. Resources 1. Galen Institute – https://galen.org/ 2. Health Care Choices 2020: A Vision for the Future - https://galen.org/2020/health-care-choices-2020/

In part two of his interview, Dr. Charlie Camosy speaks about his appearance on Tucker Carson Tonight where he addressed Canada’s euthanizing of the poor. He also discusses his new position at the Creighton University School of Medicine. Resources 1. Camosy on Canada’s euthanizing the poor from “Tucker Carlson Tonight” – https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1524554181515915265 2. “Why is Canada Euthanizing the Poor?” Spectator Australia – https://spectator.com.au/2022/04/why-is-canada-euthanising-the-poor/ 3. Resisting Throwaway Culture: How a Consistent Life Ethics Can Unite Fractured People - https://www.newcitypress.com/resisting-throwaway-culture.html 4. Losing our Dignity: How Secularized Medicine is Undermining Fundamental Human Equality - "Losing Our Dignity" by Charles Camosy (newcitypress.com)

Dr. Charlie Camosy returns to Bioethics on Air to discuss the leaked decision in the Dobbs case and its impact on abortion politics in the United States.

Pro-life OB/GYN Chris Stroud continues his critique of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ March 2022 ‘guidance’ on how to speak about abortion. This interview focuses on ACOG’s deceptive claims concerning dismemberment abortion and what the word term means. Resources: 1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) – Guide to Language and Abortion (acog.org) 2. Live Action video (animated) of the dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedure – Link 3. MyCatholicDoctor.com