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Is Euthanasia for Babies OK?
By MARC LALLANILLA
March 10, 2005 — When
is euthanasia for newborn babies a good idea?
Two doctors in the Netherlands believe they know. They have developed a checklist
that would allow doctors and families to determine whether a newborn is suffering so greatly, and without hope of a cure,
that death would be a mercy.
Writing in today's New England Journal of Medicine, Drs. Eduard Verhagen
and Pieter J J. Sauer ask an important question: Are life-ending procedures for newborns acceptable, or should infants with
severe disorders like spina bifida be kept alive even when their pain cannot be reduced?
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The question is not a new one in medical circles. As the doctors themselves
acknowledge, many infants' lives are ended each year in the Netherlands without any report to authorities.
Decisions to end life-prolonging treatment, or to not begin that treatment,
are made regularly throughout Europe and the United States. In many cases, families wrestle with the issue by consulting with
doctors and clergy. Authorities are not alerted and there is no media spotlight.
For the full story, go to ABC News
Infant Mortality Rates in Other Countries Improve,
but U.S. Rate Rises
By MARC LALLANILLA
Nov. 1, 2005 — What's causing the increased death rate among babies in the United States?
While the health of infants in many countries is improving, babies born in the United States now face an increased risk
of dying in the first year of life.
The U.S. infant mortality rate is on the rise for the first time since 1958, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. In 2001, the infant mortality rate was 6.8 deaths per 1,000 live births — in 2002, the rate rose to
7.0. (2003 data is not yet complete.)
At the same time, other countries are improving their infant mortality rates to the point that they have surpassed the
United States. Cuba, for example, reported a lower 2002 rate than the United States at 6.3.
For the full story, go to ABC News
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'Health's Angels' Deliver Care by Motorcycle
Bikers Bring Health Care to Remote African Villages
By MARC LALLANILLA
Nov. 2, 2005 — Rural Africa is difficult terrain for health care workers. Villages are separated
by many miles. Roads are often washed out or potholed — if there are any roads at all.
In these isolated villages, the sick and injured cannot be seen by health care workers. In some cases, parents must walk
hours to the nearest clinic, carrying sick children on their backs.
And when vehicles are made available, maintenance is often overlooked. Replacement parts and skilled mechanics are in short
supply, and many vehicles end up as rusted hulks after only a few months of service.
When British reporter Barry Coleman visited Somalia in 1988, he saw motorcycles intended for use by the Ministry of Health
standing useless, idled by a lack of simple maintenance.
"It's simply not reasonable," said Coleman. "People were dying because nobody knew how to manage vehicles with internal
combustion engines."
For the full story, go to ABC News
As Bird Flu Spreads, Man's Best Friends Get a Second Look
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By MARC LALLANILLA
March 12, 2006 — Pet
lovers around the world reacted with dread when a cat in Germany was discovered dead last month, a victim of bird flu. Alarmingly,
tests confirmed that the cat had died of the H5N1 strain of the virus, a form known to be deadly to humans.
As panic set in, various news reports stated that animal shelters in some
European countries were overwhelmed with healthy animals dropped off or abandoned by their owners. Several countries have
enacted quarantine zones where avian flu has been discovered, and German officials are enforcing a "cat curfew," requiring
owners to keep cats indoors in affected areas.
Is it merely panic, or are there serious risks to pets and to families with
cats and other pets? Is there anything pet owners can do to protect their pets and themselves from disease?
For the full story, go to ABC News
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