June, bioethics and the Supreme Court.
These decisions regarding the treatment of handicapped newborns and a woman's right to privacy in the abortion decision reflect the controversies in our society regarding decisions to treat severely defective newborns or to terminate a pregnancy. In the first decision, the court was divided 5 to 3. In the second decision, the court was divided 5 to 4. It is clear that we as a society are unclear about what a policy should be. In the end, however, constitutional rights to privacy and the rights of parents over their children should not be open to amendments by majoritarian forces.
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D001675:Bioethics; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005066:Euthanasia, Passive; D035082:Federal Government; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007603:Jurisprudence; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D035521:Supreme Court Decisions; D028761:Withholding Treatment