Is There Really A 'New Diagnosis' For Terri Schiavo?

Tech Central Station ^ | March 24, 2005 | Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan

[lugsoul]

While we at American Council on Science and Health have been determined to remain on the sidelines of the raging national debate about the fate of Terri Schiavo (this is largely a legal and ethical issue, not a scientific one), we cannot remain silent about the outrageous misrepresentation of scientific facts about this case that has been occurring in the past ten days.

The medical reality of Ms. Schiavo's case is this: She has been in what is medically referred to as a "permanent vegetative state" for the past 15 years, ever since her heart temporarily stopped (probably due to the severe effects of an eating disorder), depriving her brain of oxygen. Brain scans indicate that her cerebral cortex ceased functioning -- probably just after she experienced cardiac arrest in 1990. Ms. Schiavo's CAT scan shows massive shrinking of the brain, and her EEG is flat. Physicians confirm that there is no electrical activity coming from her brain. While the family video repeatedly shown on television suggests otherwise, her non-functioning cortex precludes cognition, including any ability to interact or communicate with people or show any signs of awareness. Dozens of experts over the years who have examined Ms. Schiavo agree that there is no hope of her recovering -- even though her body, face and eyes (if she is given food and hydration) might continue to move for decades to come.

Those are the harsh facts.

Thus it was shocking that Sen. Bill Frist -- a heart surgeon before becoming Senate majority leader -- went to the Senate floor twice last week to argue that Florida doctors had erred in saying that Terri is in a "persistent vegetative state." How did Frist arrive at this diagnosis? From watching the family videotapes.

Frist's comments were picked up by journalists, including FoxNews's Fred Barnes, who cited Sen. Frist as an authority in a debate with Morton Kondracke on "The Beltway Boys" last week.

Yesterday, there was another public challenge to Ms. Schiavo's well-established diagnosis: Florida governor Jeb Bush announced that a "very renowned neurologist," Dr. William Cheshire, had concluded that Terri had been misdiagnosed and that she was really only in a state of "minimal consciousness" rather than a persistent vegetative state. He used this "new diagnosis" to argue that "this new information raises serious concerns and warrants immediate action."

As it turns out, Dr. Cheshire is not "renowned" as a neurologist -- his limited publications focus on areas including headache pain and his opposition to stem cell research. Dr. Cheshire never conducted a physical examination of Ms. Schiavo, nor did he do neurological tests. Dr. Cheshire is director of biotech ethics at the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, a nonprofit group founded by "more than a dozen leading Christian bioethicists." Everyone is free to be guided by a personal agenda -- and it is clear that Dr. Cheshire has his.

Let's call tripe when tripe is served. All of us are entitled to our own personal views on the Schiavo case, what her fate should be, and who should make decisions for her. But all of us should be united in rejecting politically-generated junk science.

Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan is president and founder of the American Council on Science and Health. She is a life-long Republican.

[lugsoul]

Nomex on.

[lugsoul]

ping

[zarf]

Well the good Dr. is about to get trashed in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.....

[cripplecreek]

Doesn't matter. She was condemned to death based on hearsay evidence.

[tomahawk]

Posted yesterday and roundly debunked.

[RepublicMan4U]

Science is part of a liberal conspiracy. It should be avoided at all costs.

[canalabamian]

I finally got here before ZOT!

[MHGinTN]

Cheshire is totally dissmissable because he is a Christian. Nothing else matters, whether he is correct or not is immaterial because he's a Christian. Don't you get it?

[Grampa Dave]

Once again we see the work of George $oro$ in the Eugenics of America or as he has labeled it: "Project on Death In America". 45 Million $'s invested by $oro$ apparently has bought a lot of people including those claiming to be Republicans and Christian.

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[mikeus_maximus]

So attacking a half-baked analysis is now a personal attack "on the good doctor"?

Her analysis is weak. As Hugh Hewitt pointed out:

"Glenn has posted a statement from the American Council of Science and Health denoncing as "junk science" any assertion that challenges the diagnosis that Terri Schiavo is PVS and attacking Dr. William Chesire. The statement mischaracterizes Chesire's affidavit, which did not provide a "new diagnosis" at all, but rather concluded that "there was reasonable doubt on the prior diagnosis of PVS." The Council on Science and Health is described here, and the author of this assault on Dr. Chesire is Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, who "holds masters and doctoral degrees in public health from the Yale School of Medicine and the Harvard School of Public Health." I doubt very much whether Dr. Whelan is experienced at PVS diagnostics, or in the literature Dr. Chesire cites. I suppose she would likely be as dismissive of the other neurologists who have cast doubt on the PVS diagnosis. Rev. Rob Johansen names names and gives quotes, just as he did in this article. My guess is that Dr. Whalen would be equally dismissive of the reporting done by Rev. Johansen because he is a priest.

Dr. Whelan originally published her broadside at Dr. Chesire at TechCentralStation, where the op-ed ended with the stange tag line: "She is a life-long Republican." And that fact is of significance because...? She's claiming junk science, but she's writing junk commentary."

[Ol' Sparky]

And, plenty of doctors -- including those that have viewed her 1996 CAT scan -- disagree and believe she can be rehabilitated. Such doctors have been interviewed on A&E documenataries on the situation.

The real question is, why has her husband, despite collecting almost two million from the courts, denied her access to those that believe she can be rehabilitated? And, what kind of sadistic monster refuses to turn custody of her over to her in-laws and cause them the kind of pain that Michael has caused the Schindler family?

[don-o]

One thing I would like to know more about is the ability of the brain to compensate for damage to one part of the brain by having other parts of the brain assume at least part of those functions.

Mrs don-o has done some looking at this, but I don't know much more that I said.

[Dad2Angels]

It would be easier to believe this was written as a rebuttal to perceived inaccuracies in fact if it didn't sound so much like an attack against Republicans.

[beyond the sea]

Is There Really A 'New Diagnosis' For Terri Schiavo?

Yes. The Diagnosis is --- betrayed by the Republicans in Congress who gave her family false hope in the first place. That is the real diagnosis.

[Cicero]

Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan appears to be a conservative on some issues (see her article on Canadian prescription drugs). What her stand is on abortion and other life issues, I don't know.

This article appears to have been written in ignorance. Terri has had only one CAT scan, supervised by a doctor professionally dedicated to killing people. She has not had an MRI, which neurologists have said is the test of choice to decide if someone is in PVS. Although MRI is clearly indicated for Terri's condition, and is non-invasive and harmless to the patient, Michael Schiavo has refused to permit it.

I doubt whether Dr. Whelan is an expert neurologist. She is relying on second-hand, doubtful information. Therefore this rant has no real scientific merit.

[Momto2]

Interesting...... This horrible Dr. is a *Christian* .... but we are not told the affiliations of those on the other side.... Janet Parshal exposed the judges' "doctor" and all of his connections with the Death Squad. But I guess since Elizabeth has been a life long republican - she can say whatever she wants???????????

[tallhappy]

Pro-murder side always reduces complexity by ignoring facts they don't like and presenting one sided dogmatic analyses.

Contrast this article with to see a balanced presentation.

[freespirited]

Well, here is Dr. Cheshire's affidavit which sure sounds like he examined Terri Schiavo:

http://www.nationalreview.com/pdf/Affidavit.pdf

So what are we supposed to believe? A sworn affidavit or this article on the internet?

[neutrality]

Here's the other thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1370261/posts. I don't see how it was debunked though, especially if the part about there being no electrical activity coming from her brain is true.

[Neenah]

The water in the pot is almost boiling and we frogs never noticed it getting hot.