No Comment from the Plaintiff, Who is Still a Tiny Frozen Glob

KRT newservice reports on the dismissal by a federal appeals court of a 1999 lawsuit that alleged that all U.S. frozen embryos (400,000) are threatened by stem cell research, which required that they be destroyed. The suit, by Hagerstown, Minnesota based National Association for the Advancement of Preborn Children ("an embryo is a terrible thing to waste") - NAAPC - "sued the federal government on behalf of "Mary Doe," a name it chose for the nation's estimated 400,000 frozen embryos.

"You see, Mary Doe is coming into court and she says, 'I'm alive, and I'm a human being. Stem cell research is killing my brothers and sisters, and I may be next in line,'" said Rudolph M. Palmer, who founded the Hagerstown organization about 15 years ago.

In its appeal, NAAPC argued that present policies threaten the embryo every bit as much as the Clinton policies. "But a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to address the ethics of stem-cell research, agreeing Tuesday with a lower court that the issue was moot since it hinged on outdated Clinton administration policies."

Sue Me? You'll Die Before You Win

Our friend Stephen Latham blogs:

Here’s a letter (CLICK FOR PDF)I got sent by a Kentucky reporter today. Outrageous. The underlying suit alleges failure to read radiological and other images, or failure to read them properly, with resultant undetected illnesses, cancers, etc. The affected folks apparently live in rural areas and will have to do some serious driving to find alternative medical services. One thing that strikes me is this: It’s one thing for a physician to say, “I really can’t treat you while you’re suing me.” It’s quite another for an entire health system to say, “None of our physicians can treat you while you’re suing any of us.”

Schiavo Lawyer Quits; Replaced by Right to Life Atty.

From Art Caplan:

Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) -- The attorney who has served as the lead counsel for the last three years for Terri Schiavo's parents stepped down this week. A new attorney who specializes in religious liberty cases will replace her as Bob and Mary Schindler focus on defending their daughter's right to live by saying starving her would violate her religious beliefs. On Tuesday, longtime Schindler attorney Pat Anderson vacated her position in favor of Florida lawyer David Gibbs, who is a member of the board of directors of the Christian Law Association. Anderson said the change has nothing to do with a change in legal tactics or division between her and the Schindler family. Anderson told LifeNews.com that the Schindler family believes Gibbs will be more than capable in representing him. "Bob [Schindler] has great confidence in David, and I wish him the best in the coming battles," Anderson said.

On MCW Today ... Suing a Prostitute with HIV

Jennifer Bard sends us to Amarillo on today's MCW chatline, where the city has brought suit against a prostitute to compel her to seek treatment and to "stop spreading the disease."