Let's put the cat amongst the pigeons

I wonder just how this story

Patients could be required to stop smoking, take exercise or lose weight before they can be treated on the National Health Service, Gordon Brown has suggested.

In a New Year message to NHS staff, the Prime Minister indicates people may have to fulfil new "responsibilities" in order to establish their entitlement to care. - The Telegraph

plays with this one

Overeating And Obesity Triggered By Lack Of One Gene...a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critical in mediating satiety in adult mice.

Mice in which the BDNF gene was deleted in two of the primary appetite-regulating regions of the brain ate more and became significantly heavier than their counterparts. - Science Daily

...?

Scientists have long suspected that there's a genetic predilection to addiction. If now we find out that obesity has a genetic link, is it "less immoral" to deny treatment to someone who is fat than because they have, say, sickle cell anemia?


Both from Instapundit (1, 2) the second one via the Right Coast (where there's discussion).

Posted by: Old Grouch in In Passing at 00:33:58 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
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