Dr. Ben Turner has a true old-fashioned university degree from a traditional school where they teach how, not what, to think. He has a master’s in healthcare ethics. He is a surgeon. This CV makes him uniquely qualified to talk about British Columbia’s Bill 36, which has been passed and is now being implemented.
This bill should not only be of concern to British Columbians, but to all of us. It is a harbinger of what is to come for all of us in terms of more centralized control of healthcare. Should healthcare decisions be made between a patient and his doctor? Or should a government official micromanage these interactions from on high? Bill 36 is another step towards creating a system that enshrines the latter model.
In this podcast, Ben talks about the organization he recently assumed the headship of: CSSEM.org - the Canadian Society for Science and Ethics in Medicine, and also dissects Bill 36 for us. There were a few minor things he said that are reassuring, but mostly I came away even more concerned than before about the direction this is all heading.
This new medical world - one of proscribed, templated, mandatory treatments and decision-making protocols decided on and enforced from on high - is slowly replacing the traditional doctor-patient relationship. And IMO it will continue to do so unless we push back.
Thanks to Ben for taking the time to talk to me. And please remember to check out CSSEM.org
You can hear another great interview with Ben (done by FSIM alumnus Dr. York Hsaing) here.
Dr. Ben Turner on Bill 36 and government control of healthcare