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Biomedical subjects

Richard A McCormick

Publications and source records attributed to Richard A McCormick.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Suicide prevalence in chemical dependency programs: preliminary data from a national sample, and an examination of risk factors.

Completed suicides over a one year period of time were reported from a nationwide survey of Department of Veteran Affairs medical centers. Of a total of 248 completed suicides, 11 occurred in outpatient substance abuse programs, and an additional 5 occurred among patients receiving combined outpatient substance abuse and psychiatric treatment. There were no inpatient suicides. During this time, there were 7 suicide attempts on inpatient units and 37 suicide attempts in outpatient chemical dependency treatment. The majority of suicides were committed by males who had a primary alcohol addiction (63%). Thirty-eight percent of the sample had a comorbid mood disorder and 38% had a comorbid personality disorder. Risk factors relating to the potential for suicide in chemical dependency programs are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Human reproduction: dominion and limits.

The general struggle throughout Christian history has been to seek the proper balance between dominion and limits, intervention and nonintervention, givenness, and creativity. This struggle has worked itself out in six areas that touch human life. In this essay, I will revisit the Catholic tradition's treatment of these in terms of dominion and limits to see whether we can discern developmental patterns that might suggest an approach to issues pertaining to the sources of life (reproductive ethics) as we move into the next century.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1995

Does Christianity make a difference?

The human person makes great demands on the physician and calls for unique attention. Hence the doctor-patient relationship calls for the highest ideals of kindness, patience, trustworthiness, generosity and skill. The Catholic physician brings to these demands a specific meaning: ministering to the sick is to see Christ in them and to show Him to them.

Bioethics↗
PubMed1993

Lesbian motherhood and genetic choices.

Rhonda, a physician, and Clara, a registered nurse, have been lovers for the past 7 years. Both women are in their 30s, in good health, and financially stable. Clara has contacted Dr. Robinson, a highly regarded obstetrician and geneticist, with an unusual request. Clara is seeking to become pregnant by means of in vitro fertilization (IVF) with an embryo transfer (ET) technology. She proposes being implanted with ova harvested from her partner, Rhonda, and fertilized in vitro with donor sperm from a local medical-school sperm bank. Dr. Robinson explains the relatively low success rate involved in IVF and ET techniques and suggests artificial insemination of Clara's own ova. Clara and Rhonda understand the low success rates but are undeterred. Their mutual goal is not merely to have a child but to share in the maternity of their children. What ethical issues are raised by the plan Clara and Rhonda propose? What are Dr. Robinson's ethical responsibilities with respect to the request by Clara and Rhonda?

Child↗
PubMed1992

Case vignette: genetic secrets.

Mrs. Thomas, age 50, became concerned after experiencing intermittent uncontrollable jerky body movements. She contacted her family physician and, following a full diagnostic evaluation, learned that she is experiencing early symptons of Huntington's disease. This illness is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, which will ultimately lead-to physical incapacity, dementia, and death. The disease is known to be transmitted genetically as an autosomal dominant trait, with the first onset of symptoms usually occurring in middle age. For example, the child of an affected person has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene, and thus the illness, and a 50% chance of passing it on to their children. Mrs. Thomas is unaware of any history of the disease among others in her family; however, her father was an adopted child, who died in an automobile accident at the age of 37 and may well have been a carrier of the gene. It is highly likely that other members of her family, including her siblings and children, may be carriers of the gene and ultimately transmit it to their children before clinical symptoms of the disease develop. Her own son married last year, and her two brothers have children of childbearing age. Genetic screening and counseling are available for those at risk for Huntington's disease; however, Mrs. Thomas does not want to discuss her diagnosis with family members, fearing that they may blame her and that she may lose her job and friends if the information becomes public knowledge. What advice would you give to the health-care providers caring for Mrs. Thomas regarding the assorted rights, duties, and obligations surrounding this situation?

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Terminal illness and suicide.

Case vignette: Henry, age 19, has been under medical care struggling for 5 months with a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that has been resistant to treatment. Proven chemotherapy protocols have failed to sustain a remission, and it is evident that his condition is terminal, although not immediately so. When not in temporary remissions he is in extreme pain. The quantity of analgesic medication needed to control the pain also leaves him feeling, in his own words, "too snowed out to do anything." During his last hospital admission, a week ago, he had talked obliquely about ending his life when signs of another painful relapse become evident. Today he appeared in the outpatient clinic, although he had no appointment scheduled. He sought out several of the people who had cared for him over the past few months to thank them and to "say good-bye." He gave some prized personal possessions to one or two of the staff with whom he felt especially close. As this was happening, some of the staff members realized that Henry had a sufficient stock of narcotics at home to end his life. Our commentators are Sanford Leikin, MD, and Richard A. McCormick, SJ.

Analgesia↗
PubMed1991

Who or what is the preembryo?

... The moral status -- and specifically the controversial issue of personhood -- is related to attainment of developmental individuality... This contrasts with the view that holds that personhood occurs earlier, at the point of genetic uniqueness. I believe that an embryo that has developed to the point where it can be one individual and one individual only, differs in moral status from a preembryo that has not, even if in many cases we may choose to treat them similarly... In view of the conviction that the preembryo is not yet a person and that its statistical potential for becoming such is small, it is not clear that nontherapeutic experiments can be excluded in principle. However, because the preembryo does have intrinsic potential...the preembryo should be treated as a person... Any exceptions from the prima facie duty to treat the preembryo as a person should be based on criteria established at the national level....

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1991

The preembryo as potential: a reply to John A. Robertson.

... In conclusion, let me agree with Robertson that reasonable persons may indeed disagree on concrete conclusions touching preembryo freezing, discard, research, and diagnosis. But it is one of the challenges to reasonable people to give reasons for their conclusions. When Robertson notes that preembryo research "has been found acceptable by most bodies that have examined the subject," he leaves unstated the fact that many of these bodies have not given reasons for their conclusions. This is especially true of the Warnock Committee. It is definitely not true of John Robertson. He has attempted to give analytic support for his rather permissive positions. I find this support too fragile for its assigned task, though I hasten to say that this does not mean that only a totally prohibitive position is defensible or is mine. Prima facie still means prima facie.

Beginning of Human Life↗