Bioethics on Air
National Catholic Bioethics Center
Host Jozef Zalot interviews prominent ethicists and medical professionals on the big issues facing health care today. "Ethics on Air" is a production of the National Catholic Bioethics Center. The views expressed in "Ethics on Air" do not necessarily represent those of the Editorial Board or the ethicists or staff of the National Catholic Bioethics Center. for more information on Catholic bioethics visit https://www.ncbcenter.org/.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 21, 2023 • 60min
Ep. 110: Digesting the Doctrinal Note on Gender
NCBC ethicists Dr. Ted Furton and Dr. John Brehany join Joe Zalot to discuss the USCCB Doctrine Committee’s “Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body” and the impact it can have on Catholic health care.
Resources
1. USCCB Committee on Doctrine, “Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body” – https://www.usccb.org/resources/Doctrinal%20Note%202023-03-20.pdf
2. NCBC, “Brief Statement on Transgenderism” (2017) – https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3ada1a6a2e8d6a131d1dcd/t/5eb96ca6784e2246467b42b1/1589210278798/Q16.4_05_TransgenderStatement_REV.pdf
3. NCBC, Transgender Issues in Catholic Health Care (2021) – https://www.ncbcenter.org/store/transgenderissues. See especially chapter 4: “Catholic Health Care and Gender Identity: A Resource for Policy Guidance;” and chapter 5: “Template Policy for Catholic Health Care and Gender Identity.”
Feb 27, 2023 • 56min
Ep. 109: Redefining Death by Revising the UDDA
Neurologist Christopher DeCock, MD, joins Joe Zalot to discuss how proposed changes to the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA) could change the legal definition of brain death.
Resources
1. Dr. Christopher DeCock info – https://www.essentiahealth.org/find-doctor-provider/profile/christopher-decock/
2. Uniform Determination of Death Act – https://higherlogicdownload.s3-external-1.amazonaws.com/UNIFORMLAWS/4d19d096-be64-3c0f-ae71-a514b64c06a6_file.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAVRDO7IEREB57R7MT&Expires=1676665298&Signature=TyhShhP9KKdB%2Fhrlzz0xrFYVgdY%3D
3. Uniform Law Commission - https://www.uniformlaws.org/home
Feb 9, 2023 • 43min
Ep. 108: Celebrating 50 Years of the NCBC
Dr. John Haas, NCBC President Emeritus, and Dr. Joseph Meaney, current NCBC President, join Joe Zalot to commemorate the Center’s accomplishments over its first fifty years and chart its course for the future.
Resources
1. Dr. John Haas brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/johnhaas
2. Dr. Joseph Meaney brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/joseph-meaney-phd
3. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI, On Conscience, The National Catholic Bioethics Center, 2007 – https://www.ncbcenter.org/store/on-conscience
Jan 30, 2023 • 56min
Ep. 107: Changing the Messaging and Mechanisms of Plan B – Part 2
Dr. John Brehany, NCBC Director of Institutional Relations, joins Joe Zalot to discuss possible consequences of the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) revised messaging that Plan B is not an abortifacient.
Resources
1. Dr. John Brehany brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/johnbrehany
2. FDA, Plan B One Step Information – https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/plan-b-one-step-15-mg-levonorgestrel-information
3. Bioethics on Air, episode 75: “Straight Talk on Chemical Abortion” – https://www.ncbcenter.org/bioethics-on-air-podcast-cms/episode-75-straight-talk-on-chemical-abortion
Jan 18, 2023 • 45min
Ep. 106: Changing the Messaging and Mechanisms of Plan B – Part 1
Dr. John Brehany, NCBC Director of Institutional Relations, joins Joe Zalot to discuss the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) revised messaging that Plan B is not an abortifacient.
Resources
1. Dr. John Brehany brief bio – https://www.ncbcenter.org/meet-the-ethicists/johnbrehany
2. FDA, Plan B One Step Information – https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/plan-b-one-step-15-mg-levonorgestrel-information
3. FDA, Decisional Memorandum on Plan B – https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/021998Orig1s005SumR.pdf
4. FDA Drug Facts Label for Plan B – https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/021998Orig1s005lbl.pdf
If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate
Dec 12, 2022 • 55min
Ep. 105: Preserving Catholic Identity and Ethics in Employee Health Plans
Robert Smedley, President of the Matthias Group, joins Joe Zalot to discuss how Catholic employers can maintain Catholic identity and mission in their employee health benefits plans, focusing specifically on pharmaceuticals.
Resources
1. The Matthias Group, LLC – https://matthiasgrp.com/. Contact info: smedley@matthiasgrp.com or 844-628-8477
2. “Mission Aligned Job Postings,” Catholic Benefits Association – https://catholicbenefitsassociation.org/mission-aligned-job-postings/
If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate
Nov 28, 2022 • 54min
Ep. 104: Bearing the Cross of Infertility
Dr. Marie Meaney joins Joe Zalot to discuss how her Catholic faith sustained her in her struggle with infertility, and inspired her to write the book "When Expecting Doesn’t Happen: Turning Infertility into a Journey of Hope."
Resources
1. When Expecting Doesn’t Happen: Turning Infertility into a Journey of Hope – https://stpaulcenter.com/product/when-expecting-doesnt-happen-turning-infertility-into-a-journey-of-hope/
2. Saint Paul VI Institute – https://popepaulvi.com/
3. Hannah’s Tears – https://hannahstears.org/
4. Springs in the Desert – https://springsinthedesert.org/
If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate
Nov 7, 2022 • 59min
Ep. 103: The Bishop and Catholic Health Care
Bishop John Barres, ordinary of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (Long Island)—along with canon lawyer Fr. Brandon O’Brien—discuss the bishop’s governance with regard to Catholic health care, as well as his role in fostering its Catholic identity and ethical integrity.
Resources:
1. Bishop Barres’ webpage – https://www.bishopbarres.com/
2. “The Pastoral Role of the Diocesan Bishop in Catholic Health Care Ministry” –https://www.usccb.org/resources/The%20Pastoral%20Role%20of%20the%20Diocesan%20Bishop%20in%20Catholic%20Health%20Care%20Ministry%202_0.pdf
If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate
Oct 25, 2022 • 51min
Ep. 102: The Politics of Abortion
Jenny Ingles, Director of Fertility and Life Ministries for the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan, discusses her state’s Proposal 3. If enacted by voters, Proposal 3 would enshrine the so-called right to abortion in the Michigan state constitution.
Resources
1. Diocese of Lansing, MI: “Fight Like Heaven: Vote NO on Proposal 3” – https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/office-bishop/fight-heaven-54-day-rosary-novena
2. “Analysis: The Dangers Within Proposal 3” – https://www.dioceseoflansing.org/office-bishop/analysis-dangers-within-proposal-3
3. Jenny Ingles, “How Michigan’s Proposal 3 Allows Child Sterilization Without Parental Consent” – https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/how-michigan-s-proposal-3-allows-child-sterilization-without-parental-consent
4. Support Michigan Women and Children – https://supportmiwomenandchildren.org/donate/
5. Bioethics on Air episodes 51 and 52, “Living and Loving NFP” (parts 1 & 2)
Part 1 – https://www.ncbcenter.org/bioethics-on-air-podcast-cms/episode-51-living-and-loving-nfp-part-1
Part 2 – m https://www.ncbcenter.org/bioethics-on-air-podcast-cms/episode-52-living-and-loving-nfp-part-2
If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate
Oct 10, 2022 • 50min
Ep. 101: Faith in the Pharmacy
Pharmacy resident Angela Baalmann discusses ethical challenges facing faithful Catholic pharmacists drawing from her article “Pharmacist Refusal to Provide Contraceptive Services” published in the Spring 2022 edition of The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly.
Resources
1. “Pharmacist Refusal to Provide Contraceptive Services” – https://www.pdcnet.org/collection/authorizedshow?id=ncbq_2022_0022_0001_0083_0097&pdfname=ncbq_2022_0022_0001_0083_0097.pdf&file_type=pdf
2. Catholic Pharmacists – https://www.catholicpharmacists.com/
3. Catholic Medical Association – https://www.cathmed.org/
If you enjoy our podcasts, please consider making a donation to the NCBC at https://www.ncbcenter.org/donate


