Dr Steven Shafer, the Columbia University Anaesthesiology Professor, at Michael "Whacko" Jackson's trial on using propofol as a sleeping aid....
"'Yes' is not what a doctor says to a patient request that is not in their best interest."
"We are in pharmacological never-never land here, something that was done to Michael Jackson and no one else in history to my knowledge," he told the jury.
"...Dr Conrad Murray had acted like the pop star's obedient "employee" and not his doctor, who should have refused the star's requests for propofol."
FG was once told by his part-time casual employer not to return to do locum work as the patients were unhappy with FG's refusal to administer a narcotic analgesic injection as outpatient to someone for something trivial (a headache) when a oral medication should suffice. The joke is on FG as the employer went on to prosper to become a local leader and was bestowed numerous suffices to go behind his name for services rendered to society. He was also honoured with honorary prefixes to his name while FG still ploughs along, living from hand to mouth, with a clear conscious hoping to have garnered plus brownie points when he is judged at the Pearly Gates and St Peters as well as when he has to continue the karma and cycle of life in his after life!
"'Yes' is not what a doctor says to a patient request that is not in their best interest."
"We are in pharmacological never-never land here, something that was done to Michael Jackson and no one else in history to my knowledge," he told the jury.
"...Dr Conrad Murray had acted like the pop star's obedient "employee" and not his doctor, who should have refused the star's requests for propofol."
FG was once told by his part-time casual employer not to return to do locum work as the patients were unhappy with FG's refusal to administer a narcotic analgesic injection as outpatient to someone for something trivial (a headache) when a oral medication should suffice. The joke is on FG as the employer went on to prosper to become a local leader and was bestowed numerous suffices to go behind his name for services rendered to society. He was also honoured with honorary prefixes to his name while FG still ploughs along, living from hand to mouth, with a clear conscious hoping to have garnered plus brownie points when he is judged at the Pearly Gates and St Peters as well as when he has to continue the karma and cycle of life in his after life!The honourable physician's excuse of justifying administration of a narcotic injection with his ensuing danger of haemodynamic collapse and secondary injury as result thereof is that the patient will still get it elsewhere if you do not oblige!
This incident resurfaced in my mind when Michael Jackson's trial came to fore. This guy just loves pomp and publicity. When he was alive, he created a blast and he went off with a blast as well! When everybody else can go to sleep by tiring themselves or with beer or even counting sheep. No! When some of the recalcitrants sleep like a baby sucking their thumbs with Dormicum or Xanax, no, MJ needs general anaesthesia! And The King of Pop became a statistic in the Doctor's file.
Why did the good doctor do it? To anaesthetise someone for sleeping disorder? Whatever we discuss is pure speculation, as he is not giving any press statement for fear of retribution.
Imagine what being a personal physician to MJ would have done to his serendipity of a career. Dr Conrad's asking rates would have skyrocketed and he would be confiding in his friend just to say that if he does not the take the ridiculous offer from this fool, some other clown would have taken a killing and at least he would give superior care as a cardiologist!
It is just like a state physician whom I used to know whom used to be called 'dei' in derogatory way by the not so intelligent state monarch for the flimsiest discomfort. This friend of mine used to oblige as that was his nature and he was happy that he was serving the King and country!
Money clouds everybody's sane judgement and in the race to make a killing in the financial sense (sorry for the pun) where the margin of moral and finances is blurred, anything goes. We can go on talking and talking till cows come home and go grazing till our time on earth is up and we would have not come to a reasonable agreement!
Why did the good doctor do it? To anaesthetise someone for sleeping disorder? Whatever we discuss is pure speculation, as he is not giving any press statement for fear of retribution.
Imagine what being a personal physician to MJ would have done to his serendipity of a career. Dr Conrad's asking rates would have skyrocketed and he would be confiding in his friend just to say that if he does not the take the ridiculous offer from this fool, some other clown would have taken a killing and at least he would give superior care as a cardiologist!
It is just like a state physician whom I used to know whom used to be called 'dei' in derogatory way by the not so intelligent state monarch for the flimsiest discomfort. This friend of mine used to oblige as that was his nature and he was happy that he was serving the King and country!
Money clouds everybody's sane judgement and in the race to make a killing in the financial sense (sorry for the pun) where the margin of moral and finances is blurred, anything goes. We can go on talking and talking till cows come home and go grazing till our time on earth is up and we would have not come to a reasonable agreement!
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