Alicia Ouellette: Bioethics and disability: toward a disability-conscious bioethics

Abstract

Alicia Ouellette’s Bioethics and Disability: Toward a Disability-Conscious Bioethics is the result of her ‘‘ten-year journey toward disability consciousness’’ (p. 5). By saying so, Ouellette suggests a bioethics ‘‘mindful of and knowledgeable about the fact of disability in bioethical cases’’ (p. 316). Thus, a common struggle should be overcome: bioethics versus the disability rights community. The book begins with an introduction to (and a brief history of) Bioethics on the one side and the disability rights community on the other. Ouellette then explains that she is firmly convinced that, despite the differences and points of friction between the two groups, the disability perspective should be included in debates concerning bioethical issues. In other words, it is possible for bioethicists and disability experts to work together. Ouellette describes herself as a ‘‘firm believer in the case-study method for nuanced understanding of legal doctrine and policy’’ (p. 6), and for that reason, she uses case studies throughout the book to address issues that may arise in different stages during the life cycle. Each of these chapters is structured in four parts: one (or more) exemplary case studies followed by discussions—one from a bioethics point of view, and another from the disability community point of view, and a conclusion called ‘‘observations.’’ Firstly, it is worthwhile to underline the ability of the author to choose particular cases (from the famous Terry Schiavo to less known ones) while being aware of the possible biases this may introduce and so avoiding getting trapped. Secondly, it is important to focus on the ‘‘Observations’’ section, which are at the core of Ouellette’s work—