May 17, 2007
Why are human-animal embryos in the news? Researchers at three UK universities want to create human-animal embryos in order to develop new treatments for incurable diseases. But their research has prompted sensational headlines about “Frankenbunnies”, which have provoked widespread alarm. … Read More
May 16, 2007
Infertility can leave wannabe parents seeking desperate measures, but an online service could give birth to good news, as the service offers surrogate mothers as long as the price is right. (China Daily)
May 16, 2007
If you were to collapse from cardiac arrest in several regions of the United States and Canada, you could be enrolled, unwittingly, in a controversial clinical trial testing CPR methods. (Wired)
May 16, 2007
When Pope John Paul II was dying of complications of Parkinson’s disease in 2005, he ultimately refused to return to a hospital from his Vatican quarters, rejecting interventions like breathing machines and kidney dialysis; he was dead a day later. … Read More
May 16, 2007
Euthanasia continues to be a controversial issue, as the Society for the Right to Die with Dignity battles hard to emphasise its importance (Cybernoon.com)
May 16, 2007
Senator Ron Boswell, the Leader of The Nationals in the Senate, at a breakfast function said that a vote for cloning in the Queensland parliament, is not just a vote on creating a human embryo to destroy it but it … Read More
May 16, 2007
Finding consensus is the way forward, a collection of scientists and ethicists from developing and developed countries agreed, following discussions on the complex issues of informed consent and double standards in science at a conference on ethics, research and globalisation … Read More
May 16, 2007
The concept of human dignity was integrated prominently into the 1997 constitution of Thailand. It provided the basis for elaborating upon a wide range of human rights; indeed, it was used as a synonym for human rights. It now appears … Read More
May 15, 2007
If your child could wear an implant – a microchip that could tell a computer where he or she was at any time to within a few metres – would you buy it? After the horrific snatch of three-year-old Madeleine … Read More
May 15, 2007
A Texas law that allows hospitals to end life support after a 10-day notice for patients deemed medically futile would be changed to give patients’ families more time under legislation the Senate approved Monday. (News-Journal)
May 15, 2007
According to recent news reports, the UK’s Association of British Insurers (ABI) may seek permission to use the results of predictive genetic tests for inherited breast and ovarian cancer, to set insurance premiums. (BioNews)
May 15, 2007
Our desire for the immediate and the superficial is making us lose sight of our deeper spirit, a controversial bioethicist told graduating seniors at St. John’s College yesterday. (Capitol Online)
May 15, 2007
ike the racket of dozens of birds on a clothesline, the sound of doctors is filling the air. The strongest voices at the moment belong to Dr. Jerome Groopman and Dr. Atul Gawande, both clinicians at Harvard and writers for … Read More
May 15, 2007
Biobanks are increasingly seen as an essential tool in translating biomedical research into real improvements in healthcare. Broadly speaking, a biobank (or biorespository) is defined as a collection of tissue samples and is, potentially at least, a rich source of … Read More
May 15, 2007
The Science Ministry said yesterday that the government-invested Stem Cell Research Center will be responsible for verifying stem cell lines, a step being taken to improve the transparency and credibility of stem cell research. (The Korea Herald)
May 15, 2007
Computer chips designed to mimic how the brain works could shed light on our cognitive abilities. (Technology Review)
May 15, 2007
Ever wonder what doctors talk about among themselves? You no longer need to be a fly on the wall of a doctors’ lounge to find out. These days, you just need an Internet connection: Doctors increasingly are telling all — … Read More
May 15, 2007
Americans get the poorest health care and yet pay the most compared to five other rich countries, according to a report released on Tuesday. (Reuters)
May 15, 2007
As Oscar Pistorius of South Africa crouched in the starting blocks for the 200 meters on Sunday, the small crowd turned its attention to the sprinter who calls himself the fastest man on no legs. (New York Times)
May 15, 2007
The “Bionic Man/Bionic Woman” in us gives thanks for microchips that help our damaged bodies, pills that keep our brains happy and focused, Palm Pilots that put information in our hands and eye implants that improve our vision. (JS Online)
May 15, 2007
Researchers have shown that ultrathin sheets of silicon can stretch in two dimensions–opening up the possibility of electronic eyeballs and smart surgical gloves. (Technology Review)
May 15, 2007
Samantha Carolan was 23 and fresh out of graduate school when she decided to donate eggs to an infertile couple. Ms. Carolan concedes that she would never have done it if not for the money, $7,000 that she used to … Read More
May 15, 2007
UC Irvine will become one of the few centers in the world with a major program in therapeutic cloning, the controversial attempt to generate embryonic stem cells from people who suffer such afflictions as spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s disease. … Read More
May 15, 2007
Two stories in the past two weeks have raised the specter of the re-emergence of eugenics. In Britain, the government has authorized fertility clinics to destroy embryos produced by IVF if they are found to carry a genetic condition called … Read More
May 15, 2007
John T. Gill, chairman of the Texas Healthcare Task Force, and Texas GOP Rep. Pete Sessions – to promote embryonic stem cell research – are telling everyone they can, including members of Congress, that egg harvesting from women is a … Read More
