CGS

Research Ethics at Minnesota

Tue, 31 Aug 2010

When is it ethical to enroll human subjects in what are essentially marketing campaigns? Or, as Elliott asks, �How much of a risk to human subjects is justified in a study whose aim is to �generate commercially attractive messages?��

Exposing the Student Body

Tue, 06 Jul 2010

Heated debate surrounds the ethics of universities' decisions to analyze student DNA.

Incentives for Donation of Human Bodily Material?

Mon, 10 May 2010

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has launched a public consultation about donating, or perhaps selling, human bodily material.

Fiction in Science

Fri, 07 May 2010

The journal Science cheapens its coverage of an important paper by including speculation, which it refutes, about the cloning of Neanderthals.

A Real-Life Version of �My Sister�s Keeper�

Thu, 06 May 2010

"The Match" is an emotionally compelling and thought-provoking account of a family's decision to create a genetically matched baby to treat their sick daughter.

When Cultures Collide

Wed, 28 Apr 2010

The lawsuit brought by 41 members of the Havasupai Indian tribe against Arizona State University has implications that go far beyond last week's settlement.

'Informed Consent' and the Ethics of DNA Research

Fri, 23 Apr 2010

Havasupai Indians won a lawsuit over the use of their blood for genetic research, revealing deep cultural differences between scientists and research subjects.

Havasupai Case Highlights Risks in DNA Research

Wed, 21 Apr 2010

Informed consent is at the heart of a case involving the DNA of Havasupai Indians.

British group weighs paying organ donors

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

An influential British medical think tank is tackling the question of how far society should go to boost the number of organ and tissue donors, and is weighing a proposal to pay for body parts.

Against the Grain: Progressive Bioethics

Mon, 19 Apr 2010

The emergence or specter of biotechnologies like assisted reproduction and human cloning has raised thorny ethical issues. According to Marcy Darnovsky, progressives and radicals have not always approached these issues carefully and thoughtfully. Darnovsky talks about designer babies, surrogacy, stem cell research, and much more.

Family become first to have DNA sequenced for non-medical reasons

Fri, 16 Apr 2010

A family of four has become the first in which every member's genome has been sequenced for non-medical reasons, opening a debate about the ethics of analysing the DNA of minors.

Kidney donations, payments, and the poor

Thu, 15 Apr 2010

A recent survey indicating that payments for organs may not be an undue inducement has significant flaws.

3-Parent Embryos Could Prevent Disease, But Raise Ethical Issues

Wed, 14 Apr 2010

Mitochondrial swapping might seem less controversial than regular genetic engineering, because it involves metabolism rather than obvious physical traits. "On the other hand, when embryo manipulations for heritable changes start being done, even with the best intentions, we're on slippery ground," said Darnovsky.

President Obama's Bioethics Commission

Tue, 13 Apr 2010

The recently announced membership of the new Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues is, as expected, significantly different from that of its predecessor.

Immortal Cells and Persistent Controversies

Wed, 24 Feb 2010

The riveting stories in a new best-seller are relevant to the biopolitical controversies we face today.