Latest news with #Vernon
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Kansas law nullifying end-of-life wishes during pregnancy challenged in court
A Kansas state law that revokes a person's decisions about end-of-life care if they are pregnant is now being challenged in court. Three women, one of whom is currently pregnant, and two doctors filed a lawsuit in Kansas over a clause in the state's Natural Death Act that denies people who are pregnant with the ability to accept or refuse health care if they become incapacitated or terminally ill. The plaintiffs argue that the clause violates their rights to liberty and personal autonomy and infringes their right to privacy. Emma Vernon, the plaintiff who is currently pregnant, wrote an advance health care directive outlining the care she would like to receive if she is diagnosed with a terminal condition. Vernon said she would like to only accept life-sustaining treatment if 'there is a reasonable medical certainty' that her child would reach full term and be born 'with a meaningful prospect of sustained life' and without health conditions that would 'impair its quality of life,' according to the lawsuit. But her directive has not been 'given the same deference the law affords to others who complete directives because of the Pregnancy Exclusion,' the lawsuit argues. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach's (R) office did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill about the lawsuit. All states have laws that give people the right to craft advance directives on the health care they would like to receive if they become unable to make their own health decisions. And many of those laws have caveats excluding pregnant people, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the lawsuit's filing. Kansas is one of nine states with a law that invalidates an advanced directive of a pregnant patient regardless of if the fetus can survive, according to Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit organization that advocates for end-of-life care. The doctors who joined the lawsuit filed Thursday say the law forces them to provide pregnant patients with a lower standard of care than other patients and opens them up to civil and criminal lawsuits and professional penalties. Compassion & Choices, along with the abortion and reproductive rights lawyer group If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice and the law firm Irigonegaray & Revenaugh, filed the lawsuit on behalf of all five plaintiffs. End-of-life care laws have come under scrutiny recently amid reports of a brain-dead pregnant woman in Georgia whose family says doctors are keeping on life support until her baby can be delivered to abide by the state's abortion ban. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
Kansas law disregarding end-of-life wishes during pregnancy challenged in court
A Kansas state law that revokes a person's decisions about end-of-life care if they are pregnant is now being challenged in court. Three women, one of whom is currently pregnant, and two doctors filed a lawsuit in Kansas over a clause in the state's Natural Death Act that denies people who are pregnant with the ability to accept or refuse health care if they become incapacitated or terminally ill. The plaintiffs argue that the clause violates their rights to liberty and personal autonomy and infringes their right to privacy. Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here Emma Vernon, the plaintiff who is currently pregnant, wrote an advance health care directive outlining the care she would like to receive if she is diagnosed with a terminal condition. Vernon said she would like to only accept life-sustaining treatment if 'there is a reasonable medical certainty' that her child would reach full term and be born 'with a meaningful prospect of sustained life' and without health conditions that would 'impair its quality of life,' according to the lawsuit. But her directive has not been 'given the same deference the law affords to others who complete directives because of the Pregnancy Exclusion,' the lawsuit argues. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach's (R) office did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill about the lawsuit. All states have laws that give people the right to craft advance directives on the health care they would like to receive if they become unable to make their own health decisions. And many of those laws have caveats excluding pregnant people, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the lawsuit's filing. Kansas is one of nine states with a law that invalidates an advanced directive of a pregnant patient regardless of if the fetus can survive, according to Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit organization that advocates for end-of-life care. The doctors who joined the lawsuit filed Thursday say the law forces them to provide pregnant patients with a lower standard of care than other patients and opens them up to civil and criminal lawsuits and professional penalties. Compassion & Choices, along with the abortion and reproductive rights lawyer group If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice and the law firm Irigonegaray & Revenaugh, filed the lawsuit on behalf of all five plaintiffs. End-of-life care laws have come under scrutiny recently amid reports of a brain-dead pregnant woman in Georgia whose family says doctors are keeping on life support until her baby can be delivered to abide by the state's abortion ban.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Kansans challenge constitutionality of state law nullifying end-of-life choices of pregnant women
Five lawsuit plaintiffs, three women and two physicians from Lawrence, are part of a constitutional challenge of a Kansas law nullifying the end-of-life medical care decisions of pregnant women. The suit was filed Thursday in Douglas County District Court. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Two physicians and three women are plaintiffs in a Kansas lawsuit challenging constitutionality of a state law invalidating advance medical directives outlining end-of-life treatment for pregnant patients. The group's lawsuit seeks to prohibit enforcement of a Kansas statute interfering with health care decisions outlined in living wills based exclusively on an individual's pregnancy status. Kansas is among states permitting state interference in advance directives for pregnant patients, regardless of the gestational age of a fetus, when a person was incapacitated or terminally ill. Issues surrounding end-of-life state law recently took on urgency as a brain-dead pregnant Georgia woman was placed on life support in deference to that state's abortion ban. Kansas patient plaintiffs Emma Vernon, Abigail Ottaway and Laura Stratton as well as Kansas physician plaintiffs Michele Bennett and Lynley Holman argued in the Douglas County District Court complaint filed Thursday the Kansas law violated rights of personal autonomy, privacy, equal treatment and freedom of speech under the Kansas Constitution's Bill of Rights by disregarding clearly articulated end-of-life choices of pregnant people. 'Because I'm currently pregnant, I don't get the peace of mind a living will is meant to provide,' said Vernon, a Lawrence resident who is pregnant. 'I shouldn't have to fear that my pregnancy could cost me my dignity and autonomy.' Vernon said she outlined in a living will the medical care she would want if faced with a life-threatening condition, but Kansas' law meant she wouldn't have control over her end-of-life care while pregnant. 'I am no less capable of planning my medical care simply because I am pregnant. I know what is best for me,' she said. Many states established a boundary for medical directives of pregnant individuals no longer capable of participating in end-of-life care in terms of the viability of a fetus. Kansas' statute invalidated decision-making authority of pregnant women regardless of gestational development of a fetus. Holman, a Lawrence physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, said responsibilities of health care professionals should be centered on honoring patients' autonomy and privacy. 'When a law compels me to act against my patients' clearly expressed decisions, it not only undermines the trust at the heart of the patient-provider relationship, but also threatens the ethical foundation of medical care,' Holman said. Defendants in the Kansas lawsuit are Kris Kobach, the state attorney general; Richard Bradbury, president of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts; and Dakota Loomis, district attorney in Douglas County. The lawsuit seeks to prevent Kobach and Bradbury from enforcing state law nullifying directives of pregnant women. The case was filed by attorneys with Compassion & Choices, a Colorado nonprofit working to improve patient autonomy at the end of life; If/When/How, a California reproductive rights legal nonprofit; and the Topeka law firm of Irigonegaray & Revenaugh. Attorney Pedro Irigonegaray said Kansans valued individual rights and personal freedoms, but the state's pregnancy exclusion 'betrays those values by denying pregnant people the right to control their own medical decisions.' 'Our plaintiffs are simply asking for the same fundamental rights the Kansas Constitution guarantees to all Kansans,' said Jess Pezley, senior staff attorney at Compassion & Choices. 'Categorically stripping individuals of their right to make deeply personal end-of-life decisions because they are pregnant is not only offensive, it's fundamentally at odds with the values enshrined in the Kansas Constitution.' The lawsuit says Kansas law 'unjustly, discriminatorily and categorically disregards' the clearly expressed end-of-life decisions of pregnant women. The women plaintiffs asked the district court to 'affirm that the protections guaranteed by the Kansas Constitution apply equally to them and ensure that their most personal end-of-life decisions will be respected regardless of their pregnancy status.' In addition, the petition says the physician plaintiffs were 'deeply committed to the foundational medical principle that patients have a fundamental right to determine what treatment they receive, and that providing treatment without a patient's informed consent violates both medical ethics and the law.' 'Yet, Kansas law compels them to disregard their patients' clearly expressed end-of-life decisions, forcing them to provide their pregnant patients with a lower standard of care than any of their other patients receive,' the petition said. 'It demands this diminished care without offering any clarity on what end-of-life treatment they are required to provide — leaving them to guess at what the law expects while exposing them to civil, criminal and professional consequences for getting it wrong.'
Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Vernon Kay seeks diagnosis with Tess Daly after 'feeling terrible' on air
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Vernon Kay has confessed to feeling "terrible", suspecting that he's been "diagnosed by the nation" with a potential health issue. During his stint on BBC Radio 2, Vernon revealed that he was feeling a "bit ropey" yesterday. This led the 51-year-old presenter to admit that he suffers from an allergy to seafood. This means that Vernon is unable to consume prawns or cockles - a variety of small edible shellfish. He claims to have discovered this allergy after undergoing a test. However, Vernon suspects he might need another test, as listeners have expressed concerns about his health. He shared this revelation after playing a jingle promoting the BBC iPlayer coverage of Radio 1's Big Weekend. It's estimated that around 100,000 people flocked to Liverpool's Sefton Park for the three-day festival last weekend. The line-up included performances from Tom Grennan, Mumford and Sons, Biffy Clyro, and Wet Leg, reports the Manchester Evening News. (Image:) Vernon said: "Radio 1, how are you feeling? A bit ropey, no, honestly, terrible, I'm sure I've eaten a prawn or a cockle. I'm allergic to cockles. When asked if it has been a "big problem", Vernon replied: "It's not like I stumble upon a pot of cockles on a regular basis, but you know when you do one of them tests where they check your blood. "I did it ages ago but I'm going to do another one because I talk about it on the radio and a lot of people think I might be lactose intolerant. Honestly, I've been diagnosed by the nation without having a face-to-face consultation. "Tess Daly from Strictly Come Dancing is going to do one and I'm going to do one as well. The last one I did, yeah, cockles." (Image: Getty Images) When asked if he had ever had a cockle, Vernon replied: "No. It's like dipping your foot in a pool of lava. 'Oh, I know that's dangerous, why don't I try it?' "Winkles were very popular on the beach at Blackpool and I think my mum and dad used to like them with a lot of vinegar, not for me. In the polystyrene cups you used to get winkles and cockles and clams and all that kind of stuff." Vernon found love with Tess Daly as they both seized the spotlight on competing broadcasters—Vernon on Channel 4 with T4 and Tess on ITV's SMTV Live. Their romance flourished, leading to their wedding on 12 September 2003 at St Mary's Catholic Church in Horwich, just outside Bolton. The power couple now enjoy family life in Buckinghamshire alongside their daughters Phoebe, 20, and Amber, 15. Following Ken Bruce's departure in 2023, Vernon Kay took over the mid-morning slot on Radio 2, having previously filled in for presenters like Rylan Clarke and Zoe Ball.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Three-bin FOGO system set for Perth suburb despite concerns
The three-bin food organics garden organics collection system will be coming to the Town of Victoria Park this year despite concerns from staff they may not be able to get the word out in time. All WA local governments were given until 2025 to transition to the FOGO system as part of the State Government's current waste strategy. Councillors voted in December 2020 to implement a garden organics collection, which would be followed by a FOGO collection. Your local paper, whenever you want it. Last month it proceeded with a tender for the supply of FOGO bins, lids, and associated materials and services. However, staff had recommended at the May 20 council meeting that the town hold off on rolling out FOGO bins until March 2026 at the latest so a report into processing capacities and capabilities could be prepared. The town's general waste is sent to Tamala Park, which does not have the capacity to process FOGO waste. A council report said there had been FOGO processing challenges, such as not enough sites that could process the waste, and a review of the Government's waste strategy could result in a less strict deadline. But the council unanimously backed mayor Karen Vernon's proposal that the town roll out the FOGO system by August and start an education campaign from June 1. Ms Vernon said the town could to enter into a short-term contract to start FOGO this year and there was no evidence FOGO material would end up in landfill. 'It is most optimal for the implementation of FOGO to commence well before the start of summer, and November is too late,' she said. 'The town has sufficient time to conduct a waste education campaign for the community and secure the delivery of those bins well before November 2025. 'Deferring implementation of FOGO this year and bringing only a status report back to council in March 2026 creates the risk that firstly the current FOGO service providers will reach their existing maximum capacity, leaving no options available to the town if no additional processing capacity develops in WA by 2026. 'Secondly, the town misses a valuable opportunity to assess the success of our community's adoption of FOGO and resolve any problems via a short-term contract before considering a longer-term arrangement.' If a bin contains hazardous waste or repeated high levels of contamination, the bin may be stickered shut and not collected. Chief operations officer Natalie Adams said there was a 'slight risk' the June 1 deadline set by the council meant the town could send out information that had not been confirmed. 'The communications team have advised they would need 10-12 weeks in preparation for a campaign on the rollout strategy,' she said. 'The waste calendar that needs to come out does require a date for us to put in. 'In order for them to roll out and say that caddies and bins are coming on a certain date, we do have to have some certainty around that.' Ms Adams said there was a correlation between the amount of education a community received before FOGO was rolled out and contamination rates. Town chief financial officer Duncan Olde said the deadline to print the town's waste calendar was getting close. 'I wouldn't say tomorrow but it's very soon we got to lock that in,' he said. Ms Vernon asked if the campaign could start with educating people about what to do with the FOGO system and then telling them the rollout date once it had been decided on. Town CEO Carl Askew said the short answer was 'no' but if the campaign was delivered in two phases — information about the delivery of bins and caddies, and then education — then 'anything is possible'. Part of the council's debate was closed to the public as it involved confidential items. City of Belmont CEO John Christie said more than 17,900 of its households had made the switch to FOGO since it was rolled out there in February 2024. 'Thanks to our community's efforts, over 4500 tonnes of organic waste have already been diverted from landfill, and we've seen an 11 per cent increase in recycling rates,' he said. 'It's a great example of what we can achieve when we work together.' Belmont staff have been checking residents' bins to ensure they are putting the right materials in their bins. Some bins have been stickered shut and residents must re-sort their rubbish out before arranging for a collection. Mr Christie said the city's preference was to work with residents to improve how they managed their household waste. 'When a bin is found to be contaminated, the city generally collects the bin and provides residents feedback on what material goes in which bin to help them sort their waste correctly in future,' he said. 'In some cases, if a bin contains hazardous waste or repeated high levels of contamination, the bin may be stickered shut and not collected. 'Before the bin can be emptied, the resident will need to remove the hazardous or contaminated materials or contact the city to discuss their options. 'This applies to all bin types and the process was in place prior to the FOGO rollout.'
