Media contacts: Anne DeLotto Baier, USF Health Sciences Public Affairs, 813-974-3300 or abaier@hsc.usf.edu
John Dunn, Tampa General Hospital, 813-844-7357 or jdunn@tgh.org
Tampa, FL (Dec. 28, 2004) -- Science and medicine are making it increasingly possible to extend life, but is conquering death really an ethical thing to try to do?
Arthur Caplan, PhD, renowned expert on biotechnology and bioethics, will discuss "Can Americans Ever Manage Dying: From Karen Ann Quinlan to Terri Schiavo," Thursday, Jan. 13, at a free community presentation sponsored by the University of South Florida Health Sciences Center and Tampa General Hospital.
The event will be from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at the Wyndham Harbour Island Hotel, 725 S. Harbour Island Blvd. in Tampa.
"This is the first lecture in a community-based Ethics and Humanities series we are launching with Tampa General Hospital," said Stephen Klasko, MD, MBA, dean of the College of Medicine and vice president for Health Sciences at USF. "We will bring in nationally recognized leaders in medical ethics and humanities to encourage conversation about critical health care issues that can affect each of us."
"We are pleased to partner with USF to offer this program to our community," said Ron Hytoff, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "This is a unique opportunity for people to hear recognized experts discuss some of the most challenging and complex issues in health care today."
Dr. Caplan is the Emanuel and Robert Hart Professor of Bioethics, chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He is known for clarifying ethical concerns such as those arising from advances in organ transplantation, reproductive technology, genetics, stem cell research and end-of-life care and explaining their impact on health policy.
Dr. Caplan is a frequent commentator on NPR, CNN and MSNBC and has written articles for The New York Times and The Washington Post. He is the author and editor of 24 books, including The Human Cloning Debate and Moral Matters: Ethical Issues in Medicine and the Life Sciences.
For more information, please call 813-974-4296.
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The University of South Florida Health Sciences Center is comprised of the colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health and united by one mission "to advance collaborative learning and discovery leading to improved health in our community." USF has major affiliations with the area's teaching and research hospitals, providing an important diversity of educational experiences. In partnership with its affiliated hospitals, the Health Sciences Center's research funding jumped 21 percent last year to $145.4 million — more than half of which came from federal sources.