Peer-reviewed article
Hot Debate About a Cool Therapy
The status of hypothermia as a treatment for perinatal asphyxia remains controversial. This review examines recent studies and professional opinions about whether this treatment should be considered “experimental” or “standard” and places…
The status of hypothermia as a treatment for perinatal asphyxia remains controversial. This review examines recent studies and professional opinions about whether this treatment should be considered “experimental” or “standard” and places the debate in the context of other debates about innovative neonatal therapies, including the use of oxygen, antenatal steroids, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and pressors. These controversies are examples of a fundamental epistemological question in the philosophy of science, namely, how much evidence is necessary to prove or disprove any hypothesis. Finally, we discuss the implications of the current level of knowledge about hypothermia for further research and clinical practice.
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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.