May 26, 2010
End-of-life care guidance offers clarity for nurses
New guidance for doctors on end of life care should lead to nurses having more confidence in delivering care and treatment to dying patients, say nursing leaders. (Nursing Times)
Monthly Archives: May 2010
May 25, 2010
Pakistan targets organ trade
Pakistan has passed a new law banning the donation of human organs to all but the closest of relatives. The law is aimed at protecting the country’s poor and vulnerable, who can be duped into parting with a kidney for … Read More
May 25, 2010
The First Scientist to “Play God” Was Not Craig Venter
The announcement by Craig Venter last week that his eponymous institute has “rebooted†a cell using a made-from-scratch length of DNA has excited the usual round of pronouncements that a milestone has been reached, that Venter is the first scientist … Read More
May 25, 2010
Molly Stevens: Getting the body to grow its own spare parts
The human body has tremendous capacity to repair itself after disease or injury. Skin will grow over wounds, while cells in our blood supply are constantly being manufactured in our bone marrow. But there is a limit to the body’s … Read More
May 25, 2010
Vatican Gives A Boost To Biotech Company
It’s not often that the Vatican gets directly involved with a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and while the Catholic Church is not making a financial commitment in the deal, it is a kind of “Vatican Seal … Read More
May 25, 2010
Andrew Wakefield case highlights the importance of ethics in science
Disgraced doctor who claimed MMR jabs could lead to autism had cavalier attitude to infant patients and failed to acknowledge conflicts of interest. (Guardian)
May 24, 2010
FDA considers endorsement of drug that some call a Viagra for women
That enigma will be part of a Food and Drug Administration committee’s deliberations next month when it considers endorsing the first pill designed to do for women what Viagra did for men: boost their sex lives. A German pharmaceutical giant … Read More
May 24, 2010
Obama Orders Review of Synthetic Biology
President Obama has asked his bioethics commission to study the implications of research published today in Science describing the creation of a synthetic genome. In a letter today, Obama calls on the commission to do a 6-month study on the “potential medical, … Read More
May 24, 2010
High-Tech Solutions to High-Cost Medical Care
MENTION health care reform and the image that instantly comes to mind is a big government program. But there is another broad transformation in health care under way, a powerful force for decentralized innovation. It is fueled in good part … Read More
May 24, 2010
The Body as Gift, Resource or Commodity? Heidegger and the Ethics of Organ Transplantation
Three metaphors appear to guide contemporary thinking about organ transplantation. Although the gift is the sanctioned metaphor for donating organs, the underlying perspective from the side of the state, authorities and the medical establishment often seems to be that the … Read More
May 24, 2010
Playing God, Playing Adam: The Politics and Ethics of Enhancement
The question of enhancement occupies a prominent place not only in current bioethical debates but also in wider public discussions about our human future. In all of these, the problem of enhancement is usually articulated via two sets of questions: … Read More
May 24, 2010
Genetic technology moving from lab to medical practices
In January, practicing doctors and doctors-to-be entered a new class at the Medical College of Wisconsin with a futuristic name, “Translational Genetics.” The idea was simpler than it sounded: We are fast approaching the time when doctors will use our … Read More
May 24, 2010
How safe is nanotechnology?
Last week in Parliament the Prime Minister was heard calling for more graduates in nanotechnology. At the same time, former University rector Fr Peter Serracino Inglott warned of ethical questions surrounding a “nanotechnology buzz”. (Time of Malta)
May 24, 2010
India: Surrogacy bill looks to protect child’s interest
Having emerged as the hottest destination for surrogacy, it is but natural for India to take the lead in evolving a law that safeguards the interests of all the parties concerned, including the child born through assisted reproductive technology (ART). … Read More
May 21, 2010
The Cognitive Revolution and Civic Life Today
May 21, 2010
NIH to tighten rules on conflicts
After a wave of financial scandals over the past few years involving biomedical researchers, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed far-reaching changes today that would lead to much tighter oversight of agency-funded extramural investigators and their institutions. (Nature … Read More
May 21, 2010
Scientists Create First Synthetic Cell
Heralding a potential new era in biology, scientists for the first time have created a synthetic cell, completely controlled by man-made genetic instructions, researchers at the private J. Craig Venter Institute announced Thursday. (Wall Street Journal)
May 21, 2010
NHS revamp to ‘push up standards’
The coalition government has promised to revamp the health service in a bid to “drive up standards”. The policy document, which covers this parliament, promises to give people choice over which GP they want. (BBC News/a>)
May 21, 2010
E-health and Web 2.0: The doctor will tweet you now
While telemedicine may seem a cold and impersonal approach to patient care, physicians say it’s exactly the opposite. And they are quickly embracing it as a way to foster a more intimate relationship with patients and educate them about treatments … Read More
May 21, 2010
Loyola University Chicago introduces new online doctorate degree program in bioethics
The program is taught by the faculty of Loyola’s Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics & Health Policy, part of the Stritch School of Medicine, which is located on the campus of Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill. Faculty members all … Read More
May 21, 2010
Doctors Must Include How To Manage End Of Life Requests And Treatment Refusals, GMC, UK
The GMC’s (General Medical Council) new guidance says that patients should be given the chance in advance to discuss with their physicians what treatment and care they desire towards the end their life. (Medical News Today)
May 21, 2010
Dying patients refused pain-relief as nurses fear prosecution for assisted suicide
Dying patients are being refused pain-relief because nurses fear they will be prosecuted for assisted suicide, a poll has found. (Mail Online)
May 21, 2010
New Issue of Journal of Applied Philosophy is Now Available
Journal of Applied Philosophy (Volume 27, Issue 2, May 2010) is now available by subscription only. Articles Include: “On the Ordinary Concept of Death” by Stephen Holland, 109-122. “Potential and Foetal Value” by J.A. Burgess, 140-153. “Disability, Respect and Justice” … Read More
May 21, 2010
New Issue of American Journal of Human Genetics is Now Available
American Journal of Human Genetics (Volume 86, Issue 5, May 2010) is now available by subscription only. Articles Include: “Inferring Genetic Ancestry: Opportunities, Challenges, and Implication” by Charmaine D. Royal, John Novembre, Stephanie M. Fullerton, David B. Goldstein, Jeffrey C. Long, … Read More
May 21, 2010
New Issue of Nature Biotechnology is Now Available
Nature Biotechnology (Volume 28, Number 5, May 2010) is now available by subscription only. Articles Include: “Biotechs adjust to new landscape as US healthcare reform takes off” by Jeffrey L. Fox, 385-386. “Genetech, UCSF discover pact” by Jennifer Rohn, 386. … Read More
