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Peer-reviewed article

Does Data Shape Moral Decision? Or Do Values Shape the Data?

This paper examines the differences between different countries in policies regarding babies born at the borderline of viability. Such differences clearly exist. It is unclear whether they exist, in such an explicit way, for other…

By John D. LantosJanuary 1, 20131 min readin Current Pediatric Reviews

This paper examines the differences between different countries in policies regarding babies born at the borderline of viability. Such differences clearly exist. It is unclear whether they exist, in such an explicit way, for other populations of patients. Differences seem to reflect both the unique cultural milieu of different countries and also the unique moral status of the peri-viable baby. Similar differences exist regarding the moral status of the fetus. Such differences are likely to increase as fetal medicine develops, and the line between intrauterine and extrauterine life becomes less distincts.

Originally published at Current Pediatric Reviews · January 1, 2013.

About the author

John D. Lantos is a pediatrician and bioethicist writing on AI in medicine, neonatal intensive care, and end-of-life decisions. His essays appear in JAMA, JAMA Pediatrics, the Hastings Center Report, the New England Journal of Medicine, and Aeon. Read more about John.

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