Why One Doctor Says We Should Focus On Living Well, Not Long

Diane Rehm: On My Mind

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Artists And Thinkers Right Here As Diane Transitions This Podcast To Weekly Episodes That We’ll Be Calling “On My Mind.”, News, Writers, Fans Of The Diane Rehm Show Can Continue To Listen To Its Trademark Conversations With Newsmakers

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🗓️ 23 February 2023

⏱️ 38 minutes

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Summary

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel is someone who understands how medicine can both save lives and improve the quality of it. That’s why it came as a shock to many when he wrote in 2014 that he would decline all medical treatment after age 75. He explained that here in the U.S., we chase longevity without asking whether those extra years are worth it.

“Here is a simple truth that many of us seem to resist: living too long is also a loss,” he said at the time. “It renders many of us, if not disabled, then faltering and declining, a state that may not be worse than death but is nonetheless deprived.”

Right now, Dr. Emanuel is 65. He talked to Diane on this week’s episode of On My Mind to revisit his essay – and also debate a topic close to Diane’s heart – medical aid in dying.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, it's Diane. On my mind, Dr. Ezekiel Immanuel is a name that may be familiar to those
0:13.5	who followed the debate over healthcare in America, a renowned oncologist and policy expert.
0:21.1	Immanuel helped design Obamacare and more recently advised President Biden on his approach
0:29.4	to fighting COVID. In other words, Immanuel is someone who understands the promise of medicine
0:38.1	and how it can both save lives and improve quality of living. That's why it came as a shock
0:45.8	to many when he published a piece in the Atlantic back in 2014 stating he would decline medical
0:55.1	treatment after age 75. He explained that here in the U.S. we chase longevity without
1:04.5	asking whether those extra years are worth it. I invited Dr. Immanuel who revisited his
1:12.4	essay and also to debate a topic close to my heart medical aid in dying.
1:21.6	Before we begin talking about your essay, I'm interested in the President's decision
1:29.3	to any coronavirus emergency declarations on May 11th. What's your reaction to that?
1:38.7	Well, I think it's kind of inevitable and that's because I think the country has moved
1:46.3	on. Even if the pandemic hasn't moved on, we still have more than 500 people a day dying
1:53.1	in America to remind your listeners that makes COVID the number three or four cause of
2:01.4	death. There's heart disease at about 700,000 cancer at about 600,000 and then accidents
2:06.7	in COVID just around 200,000. That's not over. There's still many problems we have. For
2:15.3	example, we don't have any more monoclonal antibodies that are useful, especially for immunocompromised
2:22.3	people. We need more vaccines that are more updated. We need to prepare for the next pandemic.
2:30.6	I'm not sure where passed this in the real sense. I am sure psychologically the country
2:37.2	has passed it and I think the President is bowing to that. As every politician knows, you
2:43.7	can be ahead of the people a little bit, but you can't be ahead of the people a lot.
2:48.3	I think this COVID situation reflects that reality. Have you had COVID? I did have COVID.
	...

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