December 18, 2006
A Ukrainian investigator looking into claims that new-born babies were killed to harvest their stem cells and internal organs says she was removed from the case after demanding that the inquiry be extended to all Ukraine’s maternity hospitals. (Telegraph)
December 18, 2006
In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at a Toronto hospital say they have proof the body’s nervous system helps trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the disease that affects millions of … Read More
December 18, 2006
Applications for Maryland’s new fund supporting stem cell research will probably far exceed the $15 million available this year, judging from preliminary interest, a state commission reported last week. (Washington Post)
December 18, 2006
Starting in January, state law will require doctors to ask parents whether they want to store, donate or discard their newborn’s umbilical cord blood. (Tuscon Citizen)
December 18, 2006
In a packed hearing room at the Food and Drug Administration last week, a panel of cardiac experts met to consider what was obviously an important question: Has one of the most popular treatments for heart disease in fact been … Read More
December 18, 2006
While some umbilical cord stem cell treatments are available in the United States with special permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Aldrich said he opted to go to China because spinal cord treatments are not yet available here. … Read More
December 18, 2006
The process involves procuring organs from people on life support who, doctors say, have no hope of recovery. Their brains are still functioning, but machines are keeping their bodies alive. Until their brain or heart stops working, they do not … Read More
December 15, 2006
The blogging phenomenon is set to peak in 2007, according to technology predictions by analysts Gartner. (BBC)
December 15, 2006
Kevorkian, a frail 78-year-old, was granted parole Wednesday by two members of the Michigan Parole Board after he promised not to conduct any more assisted suicides. He will be eligible for release June 1. (Detroit Free Press)
December 15, 2006
A prominent Democratic senator unveiled an ambitious proposal today to provide health insurance for all Americans, while reining in rapid healthcare inflation that threatens benefits for millions of workers and their families. (Los Angeles Times)
December 15, 2006
In a discovery that could lead to better painkillers, scientists have identified a genetic defect in children who cannot feel pain. Sound like a blessed way to live? It’s not. (AP)
December 15, 2006
Deciding that the time is right for New Jersey to make a financial investment in stem cell research, lawmakers on Thursday agreed to borrow $270 million to build research labs, start a cord blood collection program and fund cancer research. … Read More
December 15, 2006
A procedure that encourages an egg to begin embryo development without being fertilized could suggest a new way to produce stem cells, at least for certain patients. (AP)
December 15, 2006
Emboldened by the results of the November election, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers said Thursday they will push a plan to use $25 million a year in state tobacco settlement funds to promote stem-cell research. (Chicago Tribune)
December 15, 2006
A Navy plan to test a blood substitute on civilian trauma victims should remain on hold, federal health advisers recommended Thursday, saying the experiment’s risks outweigh its benefits. (AP)
December 15, 2006
If you’re promised an organ for a transplant in New York, that doesn’t mean you own it. Citing 17th-century British common law on grave robbing, the state’s highest court unanimously ruled Thursday that a Florida man did not own a … Read More
December 15, 2006
The world’s first cloned cat just became a mother — and she even did it without test tubes. Copy Cat, who was cloned by Texas A&M University researchers in 2001, had three kittens in September. Mother and kittens are doing … Read More
December 15, 2006
Hospitals and nursing homes aren’t doing enough to protect patients from serial killers on staff, according to a new report that calls for major changes in the way medical centers operate. (USA Today)
December 14, 2006
Healthcare clusters, containing both public and private hospitals, medical centres and research facilities, will be developed in the next few years. These clusters, and a S$1.5 billion investment in clinical research, are two ways the Health Ministry hopes to support … Read More
December 13, 2006
I just received an email announcing the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference (NUBC) International Bioethics: New Frontiers and Emerging Issues March 23-25, 2007 Michigan State University Keynote Speaker: Daniel Callahan, PhD, Director, The Hastings … Read More
December 12, 2006
New programs helping patients make informed decisions as doctors zero in on the best options (Chicago Tribune)
December 12, 2006
The blood family of child abuse victim Haleigh Poutre wants justice for the near dehydration of Haleigh–who doctors said was in a PVS, but who can apparently now talk. There are complications about the family that I don’t want to … Read More
December 11, 2006
How an ounce of Rx prevention can cause a pound of hurt. (Slate)
December 11, 2006
A state task force on Thursday endorsed an ambitious plan to provide medical coverage to 1.5 million uninsured residents–at a cost to government and employers of more than $5 billion a year. The groundbreaking proposal calls for a series of … Read More
December 8, 2006
A Hodgkin’s disease patient in France is the 12th person to be treated with umbilical cord blood donations from Hawaii, said Dr. Randal Wada, founder of the Hawaii Cord Blood Bank. (Star Bulletin)
