Wesley J. Smith

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 »

Stories like this continue to mount in the UK, and are a warning to us of the growing utilitarian, quality of life/cost-benefit bent in health care.  A stroke patient, it is charged, was almost neglected to death—if not worse—at a UK hospital.  From the story:John MacGillivray, . . . . Continue Reading »

An abridged version of a much longer interview I gave to the Italian paper Avvenire about the Eluana Englaro and Terri Schiavo cases appeared the other day.  (Hit this link for the English translation and commentary about the interview by Bruce Chapman, head of the Discovery Institute.) . . . . Continue Reading »

The New York Times made news—or rather manufactured it—by publishing a public opinion poll that seems to show Americans overwhelmingly supporting a single payer or similar health care funding system.  The only problem is, those questioned voted by nearly 2 to 1 for Obama over . . . . Continue Reading »

Why am I not surprised?A few days ago, I reported recently here at SHS, about a Pew Poll that showed fewer than 50% wanting a wholesale overhaul of our health care system, far less than in 1993. A few days ago, imagine my surprise when the New York Times came out with a completely different series . . . . Continue Reading »