Bioethics & Health News
December 14

December 14, 2005

Face Transplant Gives Hope to Disfigured

When doctors decide to perform the world’s second face transplant, burn victims just might be among the first to volunteer. Burn survivors “love the idea,” said Bernhard Heitz, who suffered extensive disfiguring burns to his face and body in a 1997 plane crash and is now president the World Burn Foundation, a support group.
(AP)

American Co-Author Wants His Name Off Stem Cell Paper

After several days of serious accusations about the validity of a prominent article on the cloning of human cells, the senior author, Gerald Schatten of the University of Pittsburgh, has asked for his name to be removed as co-author, the editors of the journal Science said yesterday.
(New York Times)

Women ‘Head to UK for Birth Care’

A BBC investigation has found a growing number of women from overseas are travelling to Britain to give birth in NHS hospitals.
(BBC)

Slow Progress in Boosting U.S. Patient Safety

Although there have been some gains in the area of patient safety, there’s still plenty of room for improvement, a new study finds.
(HealthDay)

Study: Fiber Diet Doesn’t Cut Colon Cancer Risk

Eating lots of fiber does not lower a person’s risk of developing colon cancer, but it is a good idea to consume fiber-rich fruits and vegetables anyway for your heart and overall health, a study said Tuesday.
(Reuters)

Experts to Create Genetic Map of Cancer

Cancer is a disease of genes run amok, and scientists have found only a fraction of the bad actors. Tuesday, the government unveiled a $100 million project to speed discovery of culprits and cures, the first step toward a comprehensive map of cancer’s genetic makeup.
(AP)