
Life and death dilemmas. New medical technologies. Controversial treatments. In playing god? we hear from the patients whose lives were transformed—and sometimes saved—by medical innovations and the bioethicists who help guide complex decisions. Ventilators can keep critically ill people alive, but when is it acceptable to turn the machines off? Organ transplants save lives, but when demand outpac... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 14 | Founded | 3 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | SciencePhilosophySociety & Culture | |||

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When journalist Esmé Deprez receives a text from her father, Ron Deprez, asking for help to die, she enters one of the most ethically fraught spaces in modern medicine: Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD). This episode explores what it means to assist a love... more
Life and death decisions. Difficult tradeoffs. “playing god?” explores ethical dilemmas in health and medicine through the first-person stories of people who have lived them. Brought to you by the Dracopoulos-Bloomberg iDeas Lab at the Johns Hopkins ... more
Back in the 1960s, a committee of seven Seattle residents met regularly to decide which patients with chronic kidney disease were “worthy” of life-saving dialysis. Whoever wasn’t selected by the committee would likely die within months. An exposé of... more
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Good
For a podcast that covers the most contentious topics in medicine, this is surprisingly dry. Difficult issues are raised and then sort of backed away from. The best part of each episode is the beginning, which features a patient talking about their experience with the issue. Once the episode switches to ethicists and doctors, it gets much less interesting. My conclusion after listening to the first six episodes is that as long as the innovation can help one patient directly, probably nobody is g... more
Very thought provoking. Looking forward to season 2. Excellent can’t wait until Season 2!!
Need more like this. As a physician, I find it refreshing to revisit these concepts and give into the ethical aspect of making very difficulty decisions.
An informative and mind blowing podcast. I hope for another season soon!
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Exploring the intersection of medical ethics and emerging technologies, this content presents stories from patients whose lives have been dramatically altered—sometimes saved—by innovative medical treatments. Each episode tackles pressing ethical questions around complicated medical decisions, such as the allocation of limited resources like organ transplants, the introduction of advanced reproductive technologies, and the moral implications of life support systems. The program is distinguished by its focus on personal narratives accompanied by expert insights, making high-stakes topics accessible and engaging for a broad audience interested in the multifaceted impact of healthcare advancements on society.
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playing god? launched 3 years ago and published 14 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on playing god? include:
1. Ronald David Deprez
2. Esmé Deprez
3. Rick Mizelle
4. Kate Butler
5. Holly Fernandez Lynch
6. Tom Crawford
7. Brandy Ellis
8. Patricio Riva Posse
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