January 7, 2010
In the shimmering fantasy realm of the hit movie “Avatar,” a paraplegic Marine leaves his wheelchair behind and finds his feet in a new virtual world thanks to “the link,” a sophisticated chamber that connects his brain to a surrogate … Read More
January 7, 2010
Biologists have developed an efficient way to genetically modify human embryonic stem cells. Their approach, which uses bacterial artificial chromosomes to swap in defective copies of genes, will make possible the rapid development of stem cell lines that can both … Read More
January 6, 2010
Registration is now open for the 6th International Conference on Clinical Ethics Consultation: The Art of Ethics in Portland, Oregon, USA. May 11-14, 2010. Portland Art Museum. The theme for the 2010 conference is “the art of ethics,†to reflect … Read More
January 6, 2010
Most healthcare workers (HCWs) approve of mandatory influenza vaccines for hospital employees, and their numbers could be further boosted by giving opponents more information, according to a study released yesterday in the January 2010 issue of the Archives of Pediatrics … Read More
January 6, 2010
Patients are having their health put at risk by staff who feed them through tubes unnecessarily because they are too busy to help them eat normally, a report has warned. (Telegraph)
January 6, 2010
It may still seem to be in the realm of science fiction, but nearly half of Americans believe cloning organs will be routine by 2020, according to a new poll. (Reuters)
January 6, 2010
Biotechnology company Geron Corp. said Tuesday its developing stem-cell technology inhibited tumor activity and reduced tumor size in a laboratory study focusing on the most common form of brain cancer. The company, citing a study authored by collaborators at the … Read More
January 6, 2010
U.S. House leaders signaled Tuesday they are willing to agree to a final health overhaul bill without a government-run health insurance option if other parts of the bill would fulfill the same goals. (Wall Street Journal)
January 6, 2010
Nanotechnology is used in the development and manufacture of products in a number of different areas, including medicine, materials, electronics, coatings and energy saving technology, all with positive effects such as decreasing drug side-effects and improving sports equipment performance. (Nanotechnology … Read More
January 5, 2010
Foreign nationals who are HIV-positive will find it easier starting Monday to visit the United States. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed HIV infection from the list of diseases that … Read More
January 5, 2010
The New York City Department of Health has come under fire for what some are calling a “how to” pamphlet on using heroin and other intravenous drugs correctly. The Department of Health created the pamphlet, titled “Take Charge, Take Care,” … Read More
January 5, 2010
How’s this for a snack-time quandary: Doritos, Snickers, or methadone? The synthetic opiate is commonly used to quash the cravings of heroin junkies, but dispensing the stuff involves red tape, and there’s always the risk that human error will lead … Read More
January 5, 2010
For Jeanne d’Arc Kayembe, the trip to Washington in May 2007 was meant to be a month-long respite from an abusive boyfriend and a chance to visit relatives before going home to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to have … Read More
January 5, 2010
President Obama’s decision to name Amy Gutmann and James W. Wagner to lead his new Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues is an inspired one. Wagner is an engineer and president of Emory University, where he’s earned high … Read More
January 5, 2010
Dr. Joseph J. Fins has been elected president of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) in recognition of his major contributions to bioethics and broad expertise in the field. He will assume the presidency in 2011, when he … Read More
January 5, 2010
Only five years ago scientists knew almost nothing about the genetic factors that influence common diseases. Although major mutations that cause devastating but rare conditions such as cystic fibrosis had been identified, the inherited contribution to major causes of death … Read More
January 4, 2010
With the federal government aggressively pushing for electronic health records (EHR), 2010 could be the year telehealth technology finally allows doctors to monitor their patients’ health wirelessly in real time — no matter where the patient is. (Computerworld)
January 4, 2010
The owner of two research hospitals affiliated with the Harvard Medical School has imposed restrictions on outside pay for two dozen senior officials who also sit on the boards of pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies. The limits come in the wake … Read More
January 4, 2010
n insurance it’s called a “moral hazardâ€. A moral hazard is the result of maximizing behavior. A person weighs the costs and benefits of an action and when benefits exceed costs, he takes the action. For example, if an accident … Read More
January 4, 2010
Humanity has always longed to possess the regenerative powers of other living things. The Mexican walking fish can regrow a severed limb, and if you cut the freshwater hydra into pieces, each will become a new creature. The idea of … Read More
January 4, 2010
In 2000, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair jointly announced that a working draft of the human genome had been completed, paving the way for genetic tests and new treatments for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and even obesity. (BBC)
January 4, 2010
Researchers from the University College London, United Kingdom, have developed an artificial artery using nanotechnology that is flexible enough to function like a real blood vessel. (NDN)
January 4, 2010
Physician-assisted suicide is legal in Montana, and doctors who help terminally ill patients die are shielded from prosecution, the state Supreme Court ruled. Montana is the third state, after Oregon and Washington, to allow physicians to help such patients end … Read More
