Douglas Kinsella
Encyclopedia
T. Douglas Kinsella, CM
(15 February 1932 - 15 June 2004), BA
, MD
, FACP
, FRCPC was a Canadian
expert on medical ethics
and founder of Canada's National Council on Ethics in Human Research.
, where he served as Director of the Office of Medical Bioethics and as an Assistant Dean of Research and Bioethics, and Foothills Hospital in the fields of rheumatology
, immunology
and medical bioethics
. He is particularly noted for his research on ethical, legal and medical issues surrounding assisted suicide
, euthanasia
and genetics research
. He is well known for championing research ethics, particularly as these apply to human experimentation
, and was a founding member of the Tri-Council Working Group on Ethics.
supply an annual research grant
in Kinsella's name to "the highest ranking CIHR Doctoral Research Award or Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral Award applicant whose research focuses on ethical issues related to health and/or health research." The CIHR Douglas Kinsella Doctoral Award for Research in Bioethics was first awarded in 2005.
. As a child, he contracted rheumatic fever
, and this inspired him to become a doctor. After completing Loyola High School
, Douglas enrolled at Loyola College
and joined the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
. In June 1955, Kinsella married Lorna Emma Cleary. The couple have three children, Warren
(b. 1960), Kevin (b. 1963) and Lorne (b. 1965). In 1995 Kinsella was named a Member of the Order of Canada
. He died on 15 June 2004 of an aggressive lung cancer
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(15 February 1932 - 15 June 2004), BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, FACP
American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is a national organization of doctors of internal medicine —physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults. With 130,000 members, ACP is the largest medical-specialty organization and second-largest physician group in...
, FRCPC was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
expert on medical ethics
Medical ethics
Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology.-History:Historically,...
and founder of Canada's National Council on Ethics in Human Research.
Career
Kinsella achieved distinction in his career during his work at University of CalgaryUniversity of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, where he served as Director of the Office of Medical Bioethics and as an Assistant Dean of Research and Bioethics, and Foothills Hospital in the fields of rheumatology
Rheumatology
Rheumatology is a sub-specialty in internal medicine and pediatrics, devoted to diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Clinicians who specialize in rheumatology are called rheumatologists...
, immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
and medical bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
. He is particularly noted for his research on ethical, legal and medical issues surrounding assisted suicide
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
, euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
and genetics research
Medical genetics
Medical genetics is the specialty of medicine that involves the diagnosis and management of hereditary disorders. Medical genetics differs from Human genetics in that human genetics is a field of scientific research that may or may not apply to medicine, but medical genetics refers to the...
. He is well known for championing research ethics, particularly as these apply to human experimentation
Human experimentation
Human subject research includes experiments and observational studies. Human subjects are commonly participants in research on basic biology, clinical medicine, nursing, psychology, and all other social sciences. Humans have been participants in research since the earliest studies...
, and was a founding member of the Tri-Council Working Group on Ethics.
Legacy
The Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchCanadian Institutes of Health Research
Canadian Institutes of Health Research is the major federal agency responsible for funding health research in Canada. It is the successor to the Medical Research Council of Canada. It aims to create new health knowledge, and to translate that knowledge from the research setting into real world...
supply an annual research grant
Research funding
Research funding is a term generally covering any funding for scientific research, in the areas of both "hard" science and technology and social science. The term often connotes funding obtained through a competitive process, in which potential research projects are evaluated and only the most...
in Kinsella's name to "the highest ranking CIHR Doctoral Research Award or Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral Award applicant whose research focuses on ethical issues related to health and/or health research." The CIHR Douglas Kinsella Doctoral Award for Research in Bioethics was first awarded in 2005.
Biography
Kinsella was born and raised in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. As a child, he contracted rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
, and this inspired him to become a doctor. After completing Loyola High School
Loyola High School (Montreal)
Loyola High School is a private Catholic school for boys in grades 7–11 located in Montreal . The School was established in 1896 by the Society of Jesus as part of Loyola College, at the request of the English Catholic community in Montreal. It is named after St...
, Douglas enrolled at Loyola College
Loyola College (Montreal)
Loyola College was a Jesuit college in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It ceased to exist when it was incorporated into Concordia University in 1974. A portion of the original College remains as a separate entity called Loyola High School....
and joined the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps is the armoured branch of service of the Canadian Army, including regular force and reserve regiments.-History:...
. In June 1955, Kinsella married Lorna Emma Cleary. The couple have three children, Warren
Warren Kinsella
Warren James Douglas Kinsella , is a Toronto-based Canadian, lawyer, author, musician, political consultant, commentator, and blogger...
(b. 1960), Kevin (b. 1963) and Lorne (b. 1965). In 1995 Kinsella was named a Member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He died on 15 June 2004 of an aggressive lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.