June 6, 2007
The Bioethics Council is starting work on the ethics of “pre-birth testing” which increasingly offers scope not only to detect deformity and disease but for parents to effectively select designer babies. (Stuff.co.nz)
June 5, 2007
This article in Wired demonstrates that, due to genetic engineering, animals may be becoming even more useful in medical research. From the story: A panel of 36 mice could finally deliver the long-unfulfilled promise of personalized medicine. The mice were … Read More
June 5, 2007
The disability rights community may be getting a bit under Jack Kevorkian’s skin. Also, contrary to his lawyer’s many claims, Kevorkian apparently isn’t near his death bed. He said his hepatitis isn’t bothering him currently, but he worries that his … Read More
June 5, 2007
Assemblywoman Patty Berg, the driving legislator behind A.B. 374, the bill to legalize assisted suicide in California, is calling for reinforcements from the left wing base of the Democratic Party. Apparently, she doesn’t have the votes to prevail, and so … Read More
June 5, 2007
INTERVENTION by Cardinal George Pell against a NSW bill for stem cell research appears to have backfired, angering some MPs and strengthening their support for the proposal. (The Australian)
June 5, 2007
Nigeria has filed charges against the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, accusing it of carrying out improper trials for an anti-meningitis drug. (BBC)
June 5, 2007
British scientists plan to use stem cells to cure a common form of blindness, with the first patients receiving test treatment in five years. (Reuters)
June 5, 2007
There has been a huge rise in demand for fertility treatment among women in their forties, figures show. (BBC)
June 5, 2007
Many men, faced with the prospect of going to the doctor for a fertility evaluation, will tell you they would rather just stay home. Now they can. (San Francisco Chronicle)
June 5, 2007
Scientists believe that genetic testing may identify those susceptible to serious side effects from antidepressants. (Technology Review)
June 5, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration said on Monday that it would appoint a panel of outside specialists to advise the agency on how to tell the public about the risks and benefits of medicines and medical devices. (New York Times)
June 5, 2007
Charles Darwin looked deeply into nature and realized that animal life is ever changing, evolving over time. A short mental leap from there created an uproar: Humans are evolving, too. (The Beaufort Gazette)
June 5, 2007
MOST physicians’ waiting rooms look about the same. The pile of dogeared magazines. The pamphlets about nutrition and good health. And yes, the freebies — the boxes of facial tissues, the calendars, the ball-point pens — all bearing the prominently … Read More
June 5, 2007
The human womb is, ideally, a single-occupancy dwelling. One baby at a time is what women’s bodies are marvelously calibrated to conceive and carry. One baby has lots of room for brain growth and organ development; one baby is (relatively) … Read More
June 4, 2007
The CBS Web site has posted my NRO piece on Jack Kevorkian, which provides information in Kevorkian’s own words about his actual motives and history, important issues that most media simply won’t discuss. Thanks to CBS for the attempt at … Read More
June 4, 2007
One of the most contentious issues of the U.S. presidential campaign will be how to fix what many agree is a malfunctional health-care system. Adding fuel to the fire is a study published last month detailing the shortcomings of U.S. … Read More
June 4, 2007
Not every cancer patient is reaping the benefits of advances in medical care, new research shows. Two studies presented Sunday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago show that race and socioeconomic status affect cancer prognosis, at … Read More
June 4, 2007
With the announcement of the draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill, it appears that the government has yielded to scientific pressure on the use of human-animal “cybrid†embryos – but many researchers have said the bill does not go far … Read More
June 4, 2007
Suppose you happen to be in a serious car wreck. Or maybe you get shot or suffer cardiac arrest. If you live in King County, it might also mean that in that life-or-death moment, you will become part of an … Read More
June 4, 2007
THE religious community in Jamaica, with the exception of Muslims, has come out against advanced reproductive technologies that allow parents to select embryos that will reach maturation. (Jamaica Observer)
June 4, 2007
There was plenty of outrage last week when a Dutch television network said that it would broadcast a “reality” show featuring three patients competing for a kidney to be donated by a terminally ill woman. Viewers were to send text … Read More
June 4, 2007
Imagine a painkiller that only switches on in injured tissue, leaving the rest of the body unaffected. That is the idea behind a new class of pH-dependent drugs that interfere with nerve signals to the brain and spinal cord – … Read More
June 4, 2007
Dutch researchers are trying to grow pork meat in a laboratory with the goal of feeding millions without the need to raise and slaughter animals. (Reuters)
June 4, 2007
This week, the US Congress is expected to hand President Bush a bill authorising federal funding for stem cell research on the half-million frozen IVF embryos stored in labs and clinics around the country. The president is expected to veto … Read More
June 3, 2007
I just watched the 60 Minutes interview of Kevorkian, and it was everything I expected it wouldn’t be. First, “the hug” is not shown. The video of Kevorkian’s release is shown, and when Wallace is meeting Kevorkian, the video cuts … Read More
