Announcement: Canadian UNESCO-Affiliated Bioethics Unit to the International UNESCO Chair in Bioethics

UNESCO Chair in Bioethics

Canadian UNESCO-Affiliated Bioethics Unit to the International UNESCO Chairs in Bioethics

 

August 22, 2012

In 2001 there was establishment of a UNESCO Chair designation in medical bioethics resulting from published research under Professor Carmi from 1996 and 2001. This research centered on the specific field of the provision and outcomes of medical bioethics education. Secondary to this research, a UNESCO International Chair position was created for a UNESCO Chair in Medical Bioethics. An international network was created from interested and supporting Universities across the world, with each of the 29 signatory countries being designated a UNESCO Medical Education Bioethics designated University, with a corresponding National Network and Chief/Lead for their country. In 2009, Canada became a signatory to this initiative. Western University enjoys collaboration with the other Bioethics Universities including Harvard in the United States, Tokyo Medical University in Japan and the University of Haifa in Israel to name a few.

These networks have been tasked with determining the status of medical education deliverables in bioethics across the country, including quality, placement, sustainability and robustness within the medical curriculum.

The Canadian Network at August 22, 2012 has been awarded by the UNESCO Chair to the supervision of Dr. Joel Lamoure, a critical care pharmacist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Lamoure also serves as a scientist with Lawson Health Research Institute and surveyor with Accreditation Canada. Joel was licensed as a pharmacist in 1991 and completed his Doctorate in Divinity in 2011.

A revised cross-Canadian panel and committee will be convened to address and go the next level of questions that have been posed by the UNESCO Bioethics Chair to support the Charter.

The aim of the Network is to ensure a robust and evidence based approach to the provision of medical bioethics within the medical curriculum. In a sharing, international network format we aim to determine the level of current education, identify the needs for bioethics education and train the educators through adult based learning educational strategies.

UNESCO has noted the emergence of the need for bioethics at grass roots, educational level that is continuous, consistent and mirrored through education, practice and mentoring. Their statements surrounding the current challenges are as follows*:

“There is an emerging need for introduction of teaching medical ethics as a consequence of several social and scientific processes:    

•  Health-care consumers emphasize nowadays not only the need for health but the need for quality of life. Patients expect professionalism, effectiveness and quality, along with empathy, reliability and devotion.
    • Health-care providers are detached from traditional concepts of idealistic medicine, adopting a contractual, consumer paradigm.
    • Medical technology has created new dilemmas (e.g. procreation, euthanasia, intensive care, medical genetics, bio-technology), while at the same time causing previous ethical resolutions to become obsolete (e.g. definition of death, family composition).
    • Specialization and sub-specialization in medicine have encouraged technicality at the expense of patient-physician relationship and communication skills, thus creating a growing gap between physicians and their patients, and between medicine and society at large.
    • Growing social concern, suspicion and demand for closer inspection on medical activities is filling this gap. The demand is materialized in the form of ample litigation, increased health-related legislation and formulation of international declarations, conventions, charters etc., creating new ethical and legal frameworks and new obligations for the practicing physician.
    • Resource allocation in face of growing monetary constraints creates a substantial effect on the everyday practice of medicine.
    • The need to adhere to ethical norms in scientific research and experimentation (human cloning, pharmacology etc.) remains a constant challenge”

*UNESCO 2012 http://www.unesco-chair-bioethics.org/UI/A01.aspx

We would like to thank the previous Canadian Network members for their immense efforts to date since 2009 to bring Canada to the table in Bioethics as it relates to education and setting the stage for the next exciting stage of development. Being that education based in CANMEDS is a life long role, we look forward to creating new Canadian linkages to move the medical education bioethics across the scope, specialties and lifespan of clinicians.

 

Training for Humanity Gold

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks installment of the "Be Yourself, Often" Blog. A time when we can step back and reflect and look at all the positives that have transpired over the course of the week and feel good about living life on life's terms. This is and can be found at www.joelwlamoure.com and an audio version at http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope .

Today has brought to an end the 2012 Olympic summer games in London, England. This is a time of peace and harmony when brother competes against brother and sister against sister in the field of sports. This is not war or fighting or posturing of swords and sabers, but rather a time of brotherhood. A time where over 190 countries can peaceably assemble and bring for the shining light of the Olympic flame.

That peace is not always what it appears on the surface, despite the 5 colours of the Olympic flag that denote representation from every flag in the world and every race and nation. Look to Munich of 1972 to see the harm and damage than man enacts against man. The drama that unfolded and tragic loss of life was a public display of hatred and lack of understanding that took a very sad, human toll. Since then, with the exception of the Atlanta Olympics, there has not been a loss of life secondary to terrorism, however at a great cost for security and policing.

So why DO we need such an expression of force at a "peaceable" event? The conspiratists may say it the Orwellian fate that was predicts it Orwell's 1984, which was written 67 years ago, and published in 1948 in the shadow of the Cold War and the aftermath of World War Two. Some may say it keeps us safe and is essential to demonstrate peace and harmony. Likely a balance of the 2 is needed and accurate. But do we really know what we really need? Has it been so clouded and made so complex that we have lost the simple interfaces and facets that exist in life?

Maybe the most important question here is that why do people judge other people and their sins and forget their own dirty laundry in their closet? Why is it so difficult for us as humans to simply get along and collaborate? To share the peace and harmony and be able to survive within the Ten Commandments that we have been given? Are we so entrenched in our beliefs that we forget others have their beliefs? In the form of group hysteria that can grip a nation (at least 4 times since 1928), are we just animals with a mob mentality? 

Is life so bad that we would rather not learn from a different religion, culture, belief and political system but rather destroy them and be at war? This means to me that we have not captured the non-man made elements of life, which evolve and revolve around spirituality and inter-connectedness. Shame isnt it? We are so advanced in our technology and wrapped up in the trimmings of the day that we feel we are able to hate and pass judgment. The armchair warriors dont just exist in sports my friend.....

There are over 7 billion people on this planet and like the Zen statement that goes that every snowflake falls in exactly the right spot, so we are woven into the tapestry of life and share so much with our brothers and sisters.

Haters for some reason have to hate and at the end of the day, wonder why their life is depressing and despondent and then turn to more hatred and become a tyrant and despot. I would rather step back and see what people have to learn, share that and apply that learning liberally and translate across the spectrum of humanity. You have to start with you... aint nobody going to fix the demons and the monkey on that back besides insight and awareness and work. No pill will cure THAT ill.

I believe if we can do that, you might just be yourself, often.

　

　

                                      --- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure August 2012

Having a Love Affair with Life

Greetings my gentle readers to the beginning of August 2012 and another episode of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. Those moments that offer hopefully a different slant on the moments and challenges and opportunities that we have chosen to call our life in the here and now. Reflection on the mindfulness and miracles of the moments, interspersed with the challenges and evils that perpetrate and demonstrate all to clearly.

We touched on that concept last week as we looked at the light of good that exists and burns within all of us. But the fact that we at time are paralyzed in actualities or conceptually by what we imagine to be real and cant touch our dreams in the moment. That is such a sad place to be. Always running like a hamster on a treadmill, with nothing at the end of day and days but sadness and destitution. To be infused with drugs, alcohol or other vices that have allowed you to escape life on lifes term… you find that the life and gift that you have been given has been lost. Items that allow one escapism are drugs, Internet, alcohol, pornography, sex, shopping and almost anything else in excess that lights up dopamine, the pleasure reward homes. In fact the river of years have brought only numbness and tears and frustrations, with small leveraged wins along the way, but many societal positions and trappings and stuff that you are now having to consider walking away from. And considering it’s a normal neurotransmitter/hormone…you are just a big hormonal mess.

And why is that? Why have all of theses material items not brought you the joy and happiness as the commercials assured you they would? Heck, your neighbour seemed so happy and to have everything. What is wrong with me, again that I get the short end of the stick? Per the title of an old book for the 1970’s, why do you always draw the Black Marble?

This is about idolatry and wanting and the difference between wants and needs and entitlements. What you thought should be your due, you did get (sometimes) but came at such a heavy price, not unlike the $200 that was obtained through “The Monkey’s Paw”. Someone else had, you were sold a bill of sale and expected it delivered to you.

But because it wasn’t worth the price or as shiny as your mind set it out to be (See blog from July 1^st on Polishing the Brass Ring of Uniqueness) you got mad. Real mad. Madness infused every part, which causes one to not be able to appreciate the moments that are here and being squandered away.

Sad and almost everyone reading this will be able to know and identify someone they know that this relates to, correct? Want to rectify? Love and live the moment and love truly and totally is an intelligent concern for others. Others includes not just humans, but all living things like people, plants, animals, crystals..All of which that have the Spiritus residing within them. 

Loving life through all your affairs is the best way to captures the depth and breadth of gifts that abound all around us. Try it on, and see what really there is when you take the time and invest in yourself. The dividends might just be that you can finally, at ease, be yourself, often.

                  --- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   August 2012

Guided into the Light out of Solitary Confinement

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks’ “Be Yourself, Often” blog. Yes, that quiet reflective time that we all need and value within the chaos of the week and day, existing within that busy walled city that we tend to call society. Full and fraught with challenges and demands and expectations and where at the end of the day, there runs the risk of being very little you in there.

The past 2 weeks and in my new weekly radio show “Prescribing Spiritual H.O.P.E.” on every Tuesday at 9pm Eastern Time URL: http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope ,

I have talked about barriers and the identification, awareness and impact of what these mean to you. You really are a walled city within a walled city that can withstand almost any attack that you have been told might happen, by selling you the soul of FEAR, but is that really what there is on the other side of that wall? Are you going to end up on Channel 5 news as a statistic on a government chart and have been attacked by some unknown machete-wielding cannibal wearing a panda suit? Omg…lets get the locks, put 2 batteries in the Taser and screw the stun setting! Lovely purple paranoid people eaters unite.

Interestingly, we can (and often do without calling it such) fear ourselves and hurt inside so bad and that can dampen the Light that we emanate so much easily that the external forces.

In regards to that internal strife, Coldplay recently reminded me of an excellent set of lyrics from the song “Fix You”.

“When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can't replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below

When you're too in love to let it go

But if you never try you'll never know

Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down on your face

When you lose something you cannot replace

Tears stream down on your face

And I...

Tears stream down on your face

I promise you I will learn from my mistakes

Tears stream down on your face

And I...

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you"                                        K.Batchelor/Coldplay

The point is, bad stuff does happen and happens to good people. We ourselves can be the architect of our OWN walls and even if there isn’t that “prison” around us, we still place ourselves in solitary confinement. Bad stuff happens more often than winning the lottery for sure, but will and do you let it control your life? Does the societal dictates themselves and selling of media actually confine you?

Awareness is key here as there is no right answer for any particular person or family. We live on a world that is robust with miracles and sin, all in one homogenized package. Cant separate the fat from the milk. Again, as we discussed last week, this is the awareness, valuation and what does it mean to me piece. How stifling are the wall and rules and dictates and challenges on us and what are we prepared to do about it?

We are and cannot be expected to do anything more initially than be aware of ourselves. What we do, say, feel and think and how they translate through to others. That is the first and most critical step to tunneling under the wall and approaching the real Light that burns brightly within us. That light is the true spiritual essence of who and what and why we are. It is peace and the light feels like a mothers embrace.

That Light is the true core of the humanities and miracles that define who we are and reflects a state of being, and that is being at peace and at ease. It is in touch with all and being at ease with all. It just is, and it is Good.

I don’t believe we can touch that spiritual light in our walled cities and walled obligations and false idolatry that is rooted in BMW (Biatchy, Meany, Whiny) philosophies. To tunnel under the walls and at the same time within and yet outside of ourselves is to be at ease. At ease prevents and is the opposite of the dis-ease that exists all around us. Perhaps we can use these skills to also take us our of solitary confinement as only we can fix ourselves, with a little help from our Friends. 

Perhaps my friends, these steps may help arrest, decrease or make less critical the disease that inherently afflicts or minds and bodies. That we can live and learn, even in times of challenge. For we can only know ourselves, but to know us is to radiate ease, which inherently will help others, quest their own journey. All because you choose and chose to find and be yourself, often.

                           --- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   July 2012

Escaping the Barriers that Bind Us

Greeting my gentle readers yet again to another week of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. A time to step back and appreciate the steps that you have taken through the week, identify them and recognize the fingerprint that is yours embossed all over the week. For some people that may sound very scary and others it is a joy and triumph. So what defines and delineates the two?

Last week we talked about identifying the barriers that exist within us and more often than not are made and owned by us. We love and hate our walls that we have created, all in one felled swoop. They channel our existence and work and at the same time seem to hamper us from the activities that we long and desire.

So how can and could we break and address these challenges? Is it even within our scope and mandate, or are we to be mindless sheeple that do as old and all we be looked after by the Great Political and Societal Father? Interesting concept I believe. Foe we do have, as I have alluded to many times the ability to go beyond the obvious and to exercise and stretch our Inspirational and Spiritual wings that we all have. We are far more as human beings than the sum of our parts and there are the unknown aspects of virtues, deadly sins, humanities and more that configure into the Spiritus that is us.

To identify the barriers and challenges and the frustrations of the day that you experience is an excellent first step to manage them. To address and validate or diminish the perspective by changing the vantage point is often critical. Challenging our belief systems through communications with others that are trusted and have the “stuff” we value is often a good step. The walls may still be very real. This is the opportunity then to take it or leave it, cut bait or fish and just piss or get off the pot. YOU have that choice.

There are several questions that will subsequently extend from this scouting and reconnaissance of the wall. How important is that wall? What does it mean to me? Is it hurtful or protective? Can I live with that wall? Do I need to find a way to get around? This is where our peace, patience, silence, humility and serenity come in. Where we acknowledge, accept and do not fight the challenge, but to take it as a learning opportunity, and where we can make the next choice as how to evolve and think outside the box. Anyone who has ever seen a prison movie knows there are thousands of ways to make a prison break. Lets collaborate and build a ladder, or fly out, or tunnel out. Major point here is passivity and giving in and rolling over is NOT mandatory, unless you want it.

The end objective is that which we strive for. Spirituality, comfort and the positive virtues, which help, dissipate like acid the walls that spring up in our human world. That we can actually be at ease with the moment, even when it appears a challenge. That we observe, learn, appreciate and evolve our thought process.

To evolve and know yourself and be yourself is to see the Light that is within us and grow the wings of flight and freedom from the chaos that exists around us. That light is precious and all around us and as you tunnel through under the walls that you have identified, it shines bright with the promise that you can be yourself, often.

--- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure July 2012

Hurdling the Delusional Barriers

Greetings my gentle readers to this weeks installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. Yes, that time when you can just sit back and make the determination and go through the thought process from the week asking the critical question. Did I let my light shine this week or was it damped and did I have to be someone else? Did I live the dream or awaken from a nightmare?

Last week we took a look at the virtue of happiness that remains embedded in uniqueness. That special shine that we all have, but gets tarnished by the crudola of the days and moments that tend to wear us down and make us feel like a pair of old underwear. Yuck. Why do we let that shine get diminished and allow the subtleties of the insignificant to dampen our light?

In the concepts of the Free Will Covenant, we have the opportunity to make choices, even if we think we don’t. Sometimes the constraints that we find are really artificial. That darn wall that is in your way that is 30ft high made out of metal and barbed wire? Here’s a thought… that fence and barrier may only be in your mind, and driven by your goals, expectations, experiences and fears.

Now that’s an odd that isn’t it my friends? That the jail we consider ourselves to be in may actually be a delusion, and without testing the validity of the situation, the delusional wall bears reality. Perception defines Illusion defines Reality. Hmmm. What do these walls look like? Often they are ego driven or anti-self or punitive for something or installed through environment or such that is very real and very scary.

Feel that you need a certain lifestyle, certain expectations and obligations etc. etc. and have all the material trappings? Dress to the nines and have a BMW is the goal? Well then, be prepared to work, focus on money and enjoy the prison walls that will channel you like a lab rat to try to achieve those outcomes. Not smart enough, not enough “ability” to achieve the position or goal you want? That is likely just negative self-talk.

Lets try motivational interviewing on us to help that light shine and remove the barriers. What drives you and what is important to you? Are you doing it? Why or why not? How can the dream be made to happen? Can I be content with the here and now and maybe leverage to a middle ground?

The opportunities are endless and next week will talk about the Light more. But for now, to focus on the questions and identification of the actualities and barriers vs delusions will set the stage well. The goal? To be yourself, often.

                           --- Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   July 2012

Polishing the Brass Ring of Uniqueness

Greeting my gentle readers to another installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog. A time when can step back. Reflect and mindfully meditate and appreciate on the miracles that existed in the moments of the week. Where we can look and embrace and acknowledge and accept not only the positives in the week, but also the challenges and what we are and were able to learn from the scorecard of the week.

Last week, my radio show “Prescribing Spiritual HOPE” on the ULC BTR Radio Network talked about patience as a virtue, which ties into the fact that we can, and should be not rushing through each thing to get to the next. All that in and of itself tends to do is foster frustrations and feelings of emptiness or disappointment when we realize that the proverbial brass ring that we have been aiming for comes with a healthy tarnish attached to it! I mean seriously, after this time and effort and resources, you expect me to polish the darn thing? Seriously. What a bummer, man. And herein lie the opportunities and “teachable moments”. That new car will rust, the promotion aint attached to sunshine and roses and the grass is only greener on the other side secondary to healthy “organic fertilizer”.

So, what should and can we do to ensure our expectations do not become resentments? I’m still learning at this one my friends, but frankly… would rather be learning and seeing it with an open and child’s eyes than become a bitter spiky bear. This is the wonderful gift that we have which is capturing the myriad of gifts along the path, the nuts and berries instead of looking to the final endpoint. Rarely do things exceed our expectations in this big, busy, chaos driven life. So why DO we expect that perfection? Because we pay for it? Because we have been coddled and if anyone tells us we are NOT perfect, they can be slapped with 1000 lawsuits? Seriously my friend, that is setting us up for disaster. It was recently identified and made international news about a principal at commencement that told the students that they are not special, but through effort could become so.

Needless to say, all the mainstream press quoted was the first have and in fine print at the end of the article stated the second piece of the commencement exercise. But it is very true… we do have the ability to be special, are already unique, but the end goals and hopes (brass ring) will not be handed to you. Just as ordination is not for everyone, like medicine or law… it requires the extra effort to make that ring polished and stand out! Expectations often will drive disappointments, which will bring resentments and dis-ease which will ultimately drive and foster disease. Count me out. A title or position does not denote or define refinement, contentment or happiness. Nope. Its is what you DO with it that drives the DDQ, which is an extension of IQ. That being the Dream and Dedication Quotient and is independent, yet augmented by intelligence. Thus true intelligence does NOT derive happiness and there needs to be that high DDQ, couple with drive and work that determines happiness. It is the people that are not afraid to touch their dreams that see miracles in the moment.

Happiness or not, drive or not, disease or not. Interesting that we have some choice and Free Will Covenant over this, isn’t it? Fascinating.

Point is, if you want happiness… its already there and waiting for you at the nearest flower, person, pet, piece of sky, raindrop or blade of grass. If you expect more and go for societally perceived wins, that are ok as well. Just be real in the moment, be prepared to work and appreciate the small moments along the way. For to really shine and derive and define yourself is to polish that unique specialness that you DO have, and let it shine! And to show that Light to others in a ray of inspiration on a cloudy day is potentially to find and be yourself, often.

                        ~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure   July 1, 2012 (CANADA DAY)