In another story on the same topic this morning, a writer mentioned that investment bankers with cocaine habits (for example) are also making choices that are bad for their health. But no one seriously suggests they should not receive medical treatment when they need it.

The medical profession tries strenuously hard to avoid moral judgment in treatment decisions. Physicians and other practitioners sometimes have to ration care, but they’re trained to make decisions based on availability and best outcomes, not on morality. While they might not always meet this ideal, the rest of us should try to remember that it exists and to support them living up to the ethical requirements of their profession.

Some public debate I’ve been seeing in recent days seems to run contrary to those ethics, and I get the sense medical professionals are feeling quite uncomfortable about that.