November 16, 2011
Many baby boomers don’t have end-of-life legal documents such as a living will — and some say it’s because they feel healthy and young in their middle-age years and don’t need to dwell on death. (Washington Post)
November 16, 2011
In the prevailing more-is-better culture, patients often jump at or at least surrender to the latest and greatest medical test. (Scientific American)
November 16, 2011
Journal of Applied Philosophy (Volume 28, Issue 4, November 2011) is now available by subscription only. Articles include: “Mastery Without Mystery: Why there is no Promethean Sin in Enhancement” by Guy Kahane, 355–368. “Genetic Enhancement and Moral Attitudes Toward the … Read More
November 15, 2011
Geron, the company that helped pioneer human embryonic stem (hES) cell research, said yesterday that it is stopping its first-in-the-world clinical trial and pulling out of further stem cell work. (Science Insider)
November 15, 2011
As expected, the Supreme Court has agreed to decide the constitutionality of the sweeping health care reform law championed by President Barack Obama. (CNN)
November 15, 2011
An expert panel is urging the federal government to decriminalize euthanasia and assisted suicide. (Global News)
November 15, 2011
That Latin maxim roughly translated as “above all, do no harm†is a key element of the Hippocratic Oath. (Globe and Mail)
November 15, 2011
Embryonic-like stem cells have been isolated from breast milk in large numbers. The discovery raises the possibility of sourcing stem cells for regenerative medicine, without the need to destroy embryos. (New Scientist)
November 15, 2011
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether children conceived through in vitro fertilization after the death of their father can collect survivor benefits under the Social Security program. (Businessweek)
November 14, 2011
The Journal of Ethics (Volume 15, Issue 4) is now available by subscription only. Articles include: “Stem Cell Research and the Problem of Embryonic Identity” by Phillip Montague. “Eudaimonist Virtue Ethics and Right Action: A Reassessment” by Frans Svensson. “The … Read More
November 14, 2011
At least one in 10 adults could have diabetes mellitus by 2030. That spark prediction – issued on Monday by the International Diabetes Federation – means that an estimated 552 million people could have the life-threatening disease within two decades. … Read More
November 14, 2011
For the first time, stem cells from patients’ own hearts have been shown to battle heart failure. (ABC News)
November 14, 2011
A revolutionary jab made from stem cells found in tummy fat could soon stop osteoarthritis in its tracks. (Daily Mail)
November 14, 2011
Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday spoke out in favour of adult stem cell research and called for any ensuing treatments to benefit all who need the care regardless of their financial means. (AFP)
November 14, 2011
Republican lawmakers are objecting to the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to deny an anti-human-trafficking grant to a Catholic group , a dispute that reflects deep divisions over access to abortion and birth control. (Washington Post)
November 14, 2011
Doctors in the US have begun a clinical trial of a gene therapy that uses the body’s natural painkillers to bring relief to patients who cannot be helped with conventional drugs. (Guardian)
November 11, 2011
RED blood cells generated in a lab have been successfully injected into a human volunteer for the first time. This is a vital step towards a future in which all the blood we need for transfusions can be made in … Read More
November 11, 2011
Every child should be tested for high cholesterol between ages 9 and 11 so steps can be taken to prevent heart disease later on, a panel of doctors urged Friday in new advice that is sure to be controversial. (USA … Read More
November 11, 2011
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first product to use umbilical cord blood for stem cell transplantation. In a news release on Thursday, the agency said it has approved Hemacord, developed by the New York Blood … Read More
November 11, 2011
Women of all ages used to fill gynecologist Lyubov Yerofeyeva’s Soviet state clinic, lined up by the dozen for back-to-back abortions. “It was more common to take sick days for an abortion than for a cold in those days,” she … Read More
November 11, 2011
The new-improved version of “Asimo”, whose earliest incarnation was first seen in 2000, was shown off yesterday by Honda at its Tokyo research facility. (Telegraph)
November 11, 2011
The number of women having multiple births due to IVF has risen dramatically in a decade, figures show. (Daily Mail)
November 11, 2011
According to Marco Baldan, the chief war surgeon of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): “One of the first victims of war is the health-care system itself.†Sadly, he is absolutely right. (Reuters AlertNet)
November 10, 2011
At times, physicians struggle to persuade parents to vaccinate their children. Now research shows that doctors, particularly young ones, also are skeptical about the efficacy and safety of immunizations. (American Medical News)
November 10, 2011
An international conference opens in Rome Wednesday devoted to medical applications of adult stem cells. (USA Today)
