Oregon couple wins ‘wrongful birth’ lawsuit, admits they would have aborted Down Syndrome daughter

$2.9 million appears to be the going rate for a life.

From Portland, Oregon, a couple was awarded $2.9 million dollars for the “wrongful birth” of their daughter who has Down syndrome.

Kalanit Levy, born in June of 2007 to Ariel and Deborah Levy, after prenatal testing did not reveal any abnormalities.

Dr. Thomas Jenkins removed maternal tissue, instead of the fetal tissue, from Deborah Levy’s womb which resulted in erroneous test readings. The suit also faults the medical center for reassuring Deborah Levy that her baby didn’t have an extra 21st chromosome.

The couple says they would have had an ABORTION had the test been done properly and they had known about the Down syndrome.

photo: 14 week fetus photo/ Your Pregnancy week by week

Well, there you have it. Atleast these two admit they believe in eugenics.

I’m sure the argument seems sound and makes sense legally, but it 100% morally bankrupt.

Check out the website Downsyndrome.com for more information and debunking some of the myths of this genetic disorder.

Dr. Art Caplan, a bioethicist, wrote on MSNBC’s medical blog, “Vitals,” that “the very fact that such a case can make it into a courtroom reveals a lot that is wrong with public policy and ethics in America.”

He said the case ultimately gets at the heart of how society views and values life and “asks who should have to pay when that life is less than optimal.”

Caplan believes there is no reason to allow a wrongful birth case. He said the solution lies in allowing “some sort of no-fault insurance scheme under the supervision of neutral mediators, not a courtroom slugfest that demeans the value of a life with disability and reeks of eugenics.”

“If I don’t communicate [that a person is a human],” Myers said, “then I am ceding the right to make an argument about whether or not children should have value after birth.”

Dr. Jeff Myers, president of Summit Ministries, told The Christian Post that it’s likely we will see more of these types of cases. He said this confusion over the ethics of life stems largely from abortion policies and the devaluing of human life.

“I think they (doctors) will make the argument that parents can choose to abort [their child] after it’s born.” He said this will happen because they want to protect themselves from medical malpractice.

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Brandon Jones - Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites. Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor. To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON