Bioethicist: Public health trumps help for individuals

Editor's note: This is part of our continuing series of stories about Bruce Kramer, the former dean of the College of Education, Leadership and Counseling at the University of St. Thomas, as he copes with life after being diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. You can read all the stories in the series by clicking here.

Even though Kramer felt like the most recent trial made him feel better, it ended after 13 weeks, taking with it any benefits he felt. That made us wonder about the ethics of conducting clinical drug trials in cases where the patient has a terminal illness.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Jeffrey Kahn about that issue. He's a professor of bioethics and public policy at Johns Hopkins University.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.