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Richard Huxtable

Publications and source records attributed to Richard Huxtable.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Gaining face or losing face? Framing the debate on face transplants.

An American surgical team has announced its intention to perform the first human facial transplantation. The team has, however, invited further analysis of the ethical issues before it proceeds and in this paper we take up that challenge in seeking to frame the debate with a particular focus on the recipients of the transplant. We address seven related areas of concern and identify numerous questions that require answers or, perhaps, better answers. We start by examining the nature of the procedure and its intended benefits, why the procedure is being developed, and whether or not this should be viewed as experimental. Having concluded that this is experimental in nature, we then consider the broad question, who is the patient? Here we perceive difficulties in terms of the autonomy of the recipient, the unpredictable effects of receiving the transplant, and the role and influence of society. We conclude by asking whether the question should be 'whether or not?' rather than 'when?', particularly while the risks of losing face appear to far outweigh the likelihood of gaining face.

Body Image↗
PubMed2004

Assisted suicide.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2004

Get out of jail free? The doctrine of double effect in English law.

The ethical doctrine of double effect permits health care professionals to administer potentially fatal medication, provided that their intentions are purely to control symptoms. In this article, the legal status and scope of the doctrine will be analysed, and it will be argued that the law in this context is unclear, incoherent and partial in its application. The problems are not exclusively legal in nature, however, because health professionals have been critical both of the doctrine itself and of the lawyers' understanding of the concept. It will be concluded that clarification and appropriate enforcement are needed if the doctrine and the law are to retain credibility.

Aged↗