Ethics of Human Enhancement

The US National Science Foundation published a report on ethical considerations over using technology to enhance human capabilities beyond normal functioning.  

Corrective eyeglasses, for instance, would be considered therapy rather than en-hancement, since they serve to bring your vision back to normal; but strapping on a pair of night-vision binoculars would count as hu-man enhancement, because they give you sight beyond the range of any unassisted hu-man vision. As another example, using stero-ids to help muscular dystrophy patients regain lost strength is a case of therapy; but steroid use by otherwise-healthy athletes would give them new strength beyond what humans typ-ically have (thereby enabling them to set new performance records in sports). And growing or implanting webbing between one’s fingers and toes to enable better swimming changes the structure and function of those body parts, counting then as a case of human en-hancement and not therapy.

Read the report here.

(Thanks to C3C Dan Pickett for forwarding)

"Flying Solo"

The Colorado Springs Independent carried a story on '93 USAFA grad Grant McKenzie, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, dishonorably discharged, and incarcerated at NAVCONBRIG Miramar. The story highlights gaps in the military mental health service and provides a valuable perspective for future commanders.

"McKenzie wrestled with bipolar disorder, diagnosed by the Air Force within months of that sunny graduation day but never properly treated. As McKenzie cycled down into the abysmal clutches of the illness and its accompanying addictive behaviors — pornography, in particular — he repeatedly told superiors what he was going through. But the Air Force apparently ignored its own policies for how to deal with such disorders."

Read the story here.

Psychiatry Turns to Drug Therapy

Talk therapy, which may be as good as or better than drugs in the treatment of depression, has been dropped as a service rendered by some psychiatrists due to lower insurance company reimbursement rates and policies that discourage the practice. In its place, the psychiatrists are relegated to adjusting medications, ordering tests, and referring their patients to psychologists or therapists for traditional talk therapy and counseling. The NYT reports that many psychiatrists are unhappy with the change, but have been co-opted by the economics of managed care; "A psychiatrist can earn $150 for three 15-minute medication visits compared with $90 for a 45-minute talk therapy session."

Read the article here.

"Early Tests for Alzheimer’s Pose Diagnosis Dilemma"

The New York Times published an article on the ethical dilemma doctors are facing over whether to tell patients they have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Hospital ethics committees have unanimously found patients shouldn't be told, but doctors are struggling with that decision.

read the article