January 2, 2026
(MIT Technology Review) – The real-world consequences of AI therapy came to a head in unexpected ways in 2025 as we waded through a critical mass of stories about human-chatbot relationships, the flimsiness of guardrails on many LLMs, and the … Read More
January 2, 2026
(Wired) – The battle for AI dominance has left a large footprint—and it’s only getting bigger and more expensive. When Sam Altman said one year ago that OpenAI’s Roman Empire is the actual Roman Empire, he wasn’t kidding. In the … Read More
January 2, 2026
(NPR) – Organoids are bits of neural tissue that model human brain development. Their use in science makes some uneasy, in part because the brain is so closely tied to our sense of self. (Read More or Listen Here)
January 2, 2026
(Reuters via MSN) – Elon Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink will start “high-volume production” of brain-computer interface devices and move to an entirely automated surgical procedure in 2026, Musk said in a post on the social media platform X on … Read More
January 2, 2026
(Futurism) – In a bizarre first, the South China Morning Post reports, doctors in China have surgically grafted a patient’s severed ear to her foot. The patient, a woman identified by their surname Sun, suffered a horrific workplace accident involving … Read More
January 2, 2026
(NYT) – After eight years of training, Dr. Maureen McKiernan made her debut as the lead surgeon on an infant heart transplant — an operation on the edge of what’s possible. After breakfast, she took the A train to NewYork-Presbyterian … Read More
January 2, 2026
(WSJ) – More people are resolving to spend less time on their phones and social media, and research suggests there are health benefits A survey by the digital-wellness app Opal (granted, a bit of a biased audience) found that 33% … Read More
January 2, 2026
(Wired) – The “super flu” behind outbreaks in the US and UK is a new variant of influenza A H3N2, subclade K. Here’s what you need to know. The spread of influenza became more severe this fall, particularly in the … Read More
January 2, 2026
The New England Journal of Medicine AI (vol. 3, no. 1, 2026) is available online by subscription only.
January 1, 2026
The team behind bioethics.com, The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity, wishes you all the best in 2026!
December 31, 2025
(AP) – Environmental journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, one of three grandchildren of the late President John F. Kennedy, has died after she was diagnosed with leukemia last year. She was 35. Schlossberg, daughter of Kennedy’s daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Edwin Schlossberg, … Read More
December 31, 2025
(NPR) – Over time, that “death anxiety” transformed into something else: an appreciation for the present moment, says Park, who often writes about this topic on his Instagram. “When death is on the forefront of your mind, it’s almost like … Read More
December 31, 2025
(Gizmodo) – The global burden of Candida auris has been increasing since its discovery in 2009, a new review finds. A deadly, drug-resistant fungus is extending its tendrils around the world. Research out this month finds that the public health … Read More
December 31, 2025
(Tech Radar) – I asked ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, three of the best-known and widely used AI chatbots, to predict what everyday life with AI might look like in 2026. I tried to get them to stick to more realistic … Read More
December 31, 2025
(WSJ) – A nicotine replacement for smokers has started popping up in offices in the tech industry, despite health hazards Meet the tech industry’s latest perk: nicotine-pouch fridges and vending machines. Nicotine pouches, which have grown in popularity in recent … Read More
December 31, 2025
(Wired) – Smartwatches are cool and all, but have you considered wearable neurotech? Ten years ago, a Fitbit was about as sophisticated a wearable as you could get. The Apple Watch soon supplanted it, quickly becoming the world’s best-selling smartwatch. … Read More
December 31, 2025
(Market Watch) – Traditional Medicare in six states will soon feel more like privatized Medicare Advantage, using prior authorizations to determine what care can be covered for older adults. Starting in January, about 6.4 million Americans enrolled in traditional Medicare … Read More
December 31, 2025
BMC Medical Ethics has new articles available online. Articles include:
December 30, 2025
(The Guardian) – Young adults and teenagers prevalent in ‘skyrocketing’ admissions linked to class B drug, say doctors in northern England Few places have felt the effects of that increase more than urology departments. Chronic ketamine use can cause irreversible … Read More
December 30, 2025
(NPR) – Flu season is off to a rough start this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the virus arrived as expected, cases are rising faster, compared with previous years. Last week, more than 19,000 … Read More
December 30, 2025
(NBC News) – The state reported 20 more measles cases in the last four days. If the disease spreads for three more weeks, it may no longer be considered eradicated in the U.S. A sizable uptick in measles cases in … Read More
December 30, 2025
(New York Times) – More than 500 women claimed that they had received unnecessary operations. Hospital leaders said they were not aware of a doctor’s misconduct. More than 500 women sued a Virginia health system and its senior executives on … Read More
December 30, 2025
(Gizmodo) – Pregnant women who reported opioid use disorder were more likely to face serious health complications, as were their children. Opioid abuse during pregnancy is on the rise, new research suggests—and that’s likely to endanger both expectant mothers and … Read More
December 30, 2025
(New York Times) – The United States is expected to adopt the vaccine schedule used by Denmark, a much smaller country with universal health care. The United States, a nation of 343 million people with a complex and overburdened health … Read More
December 30, 2025
(New York Times) – Ms. Brosseau says mental illness has made her life unbearable. She wants a medically assisted death. Even her psychiatrists are split over whether she should have one. The exclusion was to end on March 17, 2023, … Read More