Wesley J. Smith

This is a good and important development in the assisted suicide debate in the UK. A bill was proposed to stop suicide predators on the Internet. Predictably, assisted suicide advocates have attempted to amend the bill to legalize suicide tourism, that is, relatives taking suicidal loved . . . . Continue Reading »

I was away and completely off the grid when President Obama made his health care pitch. But several people sent me e-mails questioning whether he pushed futile care theory as a method of cost containment and health care reform. As usual with our president, it is hard to tell exactly what he wants as . . . . Continue Reading »

Harvard Law prof, Cass Sunstein, picked by President Obama to be the “regulations czar” wants animals to be able to bring lawsuits in court. This is a very radical concept known as “animal standing.”  Senator Saxby Chambliss is holding up the nomination over the issue, . . . . Continue Reading »

Back from vacation, rested, and rarin’ to go: Time for SHS to catch up!Let’s start with an important but little c0vered story: Senator Saxby Chambliss (R=GA) has put a “hold” on the nomination of Harvard Law Professor Cass Sunstein to be what is sometimes called the . . . . Continue Reading »

I tried to leave, but this came across my desk—an old November 22, 1998  interview with me that lasted over an hour, recorded in connection with the original publication of Forced Exit. David Emory begins discussing 60 Minutes preparing to show the video of Jack Kevorkian murdering Thomas . . . . Continue Reading »

Secondhand Smokette is at the end of her tether, I’m chomping at the bit, our youngest nephew has never seen the awesome beauty of the West, and the Big Sky Country of Montana is calling! (No, I will not be paying Judge McCarter a visit!) Time for some R and R in Missoula, Glacier National . . . . Continue Reading »

Apparently certain elements of the Swiss Government are sick and tired of the travesty of suicide tourism. From the story:Swiss government proposals to restrict the practice of assisted suicide in the Alpine nation could lead to greater suffering for patients and their loved ones, a group that helps . . . . Continue Reading »

A new article at the Hastings Center website illustrates in a nutshell why I think bioethics is proving harmful to society. First, the author Hilde Lindemann, describes a conversation she overheard among bioethicists reacting (appropriately) against a parental request that their profoundly . . . . Continue Reading »

I have been receiving e-mails from readers of the former site about their lost subscriptions to SHS.  Alas, former subscribers will have to resubscribe (and new subscribers are invited too) now that I am here at FT.  It’s easy, however.  Hit the “blog rss” link to . . . . Continue Reading »

The Hastings Center Report has published an interview with a representative of the Orwellian-named NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), the UK’s rationing board. The interview pretends that all NICE does is issue recommendations, that the NHS Trusts are free to take or . . . . Continue Reading »