April 12, 2007
The need for confidentiality is enshrined in the ethics of the medical profession. It is based on trust and is one of the core issues in patient-doctor relationships. When a patient consults a doctor, he opens up and lets out … Read More
April 12, 2007
WOMEN should not be paid to donate their eggs for medical research, and should be fully informed of the risks of the invasive procedure, according to national draft guidelines. (The Age)
April 11, 2007
Here is the statement issued today by the White House about the passage of Senate Bills 5 (overturn Bush funding policy) and 30 (fund “alternative” approaches). Agree or disagree with the Bush policy, I think this point made by the … Read More
April 11, 2007
S. 5, the bill to overturn President Bush’s embryonic stem cell funding policy passed, one vote (if everyone had showed up) short of a veto override margin. It also does not have enough votes in the House for an override, … Read More
April 11, 2007
I checked the New York Times to see if they reported the great news that human diabetes patients have been effectively treated for their disease with adult stem cells. The Gray Lady only carried a muted report by the AP. … Read More
April 11, 2007
Leon Kass’s piece in Commentary, about which I posted earlier, also contains some very good prose about a philosophical approach to human exceptionalism. He writes: It is indubitably clear, even to atheists, that we human beings have them [attributes of … Read More
April 11, 2007
I believe Leon Kass to be one of our most profound and wise public intellectuals. He comes through again in the current edition of Commentary magazine (no link available) in an article entitled “Science, Religion, and the Human Future.” Much … Read More
April 11, 2007
I have long believed that futile care theory will be the next big political battle in bioethics. It is generally ignored by the media–which on one level is understandable because the media are news driven–but on the other hand is … Read More
April 11, 2007
The authorities are busy evaluating medical institutions to determine which ones are qualified to carry out organ transplants, said the Ministry of Health. (People’s Daily Online)
April 11, 2007
A new theoretical design using nanowires provides a way to hide devices from visible light. (Technology Review)
April 11, 2007
I talk to a lot of people and do a lot of stuff that is fun in the way of educating people, such as with the website: How Stuff Works. One thing I know about talking with the general public … Read More
April 11, 2007
Scientists have made an experimental – and apparently effective – flu vaccine inside insect cells. They hope the technique could provide a way to produce vaccine quickly and in volume in the event of a flu pandemic. (BBC)
April 11, 2007
The controversial issue of cloning human embryos for medical research is set to split the Beattie Government. (Courier-Mail)
April 11, 2007
Why do we need an ethics of imagination? Because ethics without imagination is dogma, and imagination without ethics is dangerous. In order to foster human consciousness, we must not only have an intention, but we must also have a capacity … Read More
April 11, 2007
The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has challenged the UK Government’s decision to propose a ban on the creation of hybrid or chimera embryos, calling such a move ‘unnecessary’. In the report, the MPs said: ‘We find that … Read More
April 11, 2007
Senate supporters of embryonic stem cell research refused to take another no for an answer Tuesday, advancing politically popular legislation that is assured of passage, yet doomed for the second straight year to a veto that Congress cannot override. (AP)
April 11, 2007
Thirteen young diabetics in Brazil have ditched their insulin shots and need no other medication thanks to a risky, but promising treatment with their own stem cells — apparently the first time such a feat has been accomplished. (CNN)
April 10, 2007
Patients’ own blood stem cells combined with immune suppression have provided effective treatment of Type 1 diabetes in human patients, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. From the report: During a 7- to … Read More
April 10, 2007
China has apparently issued regulations to stop the purchase and sale of human organs. Good. But based on China’s history in these matters, count me as a skeptic that it will either be enforced or do any good.
April 10, 2007
Under the terms of Texas law, hospital ethics committees have the right to unilaterally vote to refuse wanted life-sustaining treatment. Known as “futile care theory” or “medical futility” or “inappropriate care,” such refusals are permitted to be made on quality … Read More
April 10, 2007
As the debate over stem cell research resumes in Washington this week, the moral principle on which the White House bases its position remains largely unexamined (Boston Globe)
April 10, 2007
In what promises to be a repeat performance from 2006, the U.S. Senate tomorrow (April 10) will begin two days of vigorous debate followed by votes on measures to expand federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research. (The Scientist)
April 10, 2007
Stem cells taken from the muscles of female mice are better at regenerating tissue than those taken from male mice, a new study finds. (MSNBC)
April 10, 2007
Biomedical engineers are constantly coming up with ways to repair the human body, replacing defective and worn out parts with plastic, titanium, and ceramic substitutes – but the body does not always accept such substitutes seamlessly. Engineers from Brown and … Read More
April 10, 2007
A NEW generation of genetically engineered crops that produce drugs and chemicals is fast approaching the market — bringing with it a new wave of concerns about the safety of the global food and feed supply. (New York Times)
