CGS : Media Coverage

About Media Coverage & Human Biotechnology

Until a few years ago, human biotechnologies were rarely discussed in the popular media. Now magazine covers, television shows, newspaper headlines and front-page articles showcase their development and the controversies surrounding them.

This increased coverage is welcome; sunlight can be a good disinfectant. Nevertheless, mainstream media coverage has been inadequate or misleading in several regards.

Too often it prematurely celebrates new techniques as "breakthroughs" or "medical miracles," even when they are preliminary and unconfirmed. This is particularly dangerous in a growing culture of "science by press release," where fantastic findings are often later debunked (with less fanfare) by peer review. Also, the press rarely scrutinizes scientists' and bioethicists' statements, actions, or potential conflicts of interest with the same rigor they bring to reports about other public figures.

Lastly, too few media accounts make clear the full import of what's at stake. Excitement about possible new medical therapies tends to drown out consideration of undesirable prospects including genetic discrimination, increased health inequalities, and the misuse of human biotechnologies.

Angelina Jolie and the One Percentby Gayle Sulik, Scientific AmericanMay 20th, 2013Since the Angelina Jolie story broke, there’s been a flurry of discussion, but we should remember an important caveat about her situation: it doesn’t apply to most women.

Angelina Jolie, Breast Cancer, and You: How to Make the Right Decisions for YOUR Healthby Judy Norsigian, Our Bodies Our BlogMay 17th, 2013It is now up to women’s health advocates to ensure that the media coverage and public debate that follows Angelina Jolie's Op-Ed does not offer false information or false hope.

Human Stem Cell Cloning: 'Holy Grail' or Techno-Fantasy?by David King, CNNMay 17th, 2013There is definitely something special about this idea of "therapeutic cloning," something that has a religious feel to it. We are told that there will be great medical benefits and that the risks that there will be cloned babies are small, but in truth it's the other way round.

Cloning-Derived Stem Cells Raise Policy Questionsby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMay 16th, 2013Yesterday’s announcement that stem cells have been derived from cloned human embryos set off a media flurry, but important questions about reproductive cloning and women’s health were not widely addressed.

A Note of Caution: Freezing Eggs Is Not a Silver Bullet for Age-Related Infertilityby Miriam Zoll, RH Reality CheckMay 15th, 2013A $4 billion industry is driving public discourse about often unproven discoveries through a lens that focuses attention on the minority of successes rather than the whole messy, complicated story.

Angelina Jolie and the Fate of Breast Cancer Genes[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Alexandra Le Tellier, Los Angeles TimesMay 14th, 2013Angelina Jolie described her double mastectomy as a way to gain control over mutations in her "breast cancer genes," but how much control we have over BRCA1 and BRCA2, and human genes in general, is yet to be determined.

There's More to Life Than Freezing Your Eggs[Quotes CGS's Diane Tober]by Jacoba Urist, The AtlanticMay 14th, 2013Suddenly, it seems, everyone is singing the praises of egg freezing as the latest cure for a woman's declining fertility, but it isn't quite the panacea the media would have you believe.

Talking Biopolitics is Back!by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMay 13th, 2013A series of live web-based conversations with cutting-edge thinkers on the social meaning of human biotechnologies will be kicking off next week. RSVP now to join the conversations!

The Big Freezeby Gina Maranto, Biopolitical Times guest contributor, Biopolitical TimesMay 9th, 2013The Wall Street Journal devoted almost two full pages to a piece championing social egg freezing, and gave it a headline that is pure sales.

A Petition for Change in Memory of Dan Markingsonby Emily Smith Beitiks, Biopolitical TimesMay 8th, 2013The story of a young man’s premature death illustrates the medical-industrial complex at its worst.

Sixty Years of a DNA World Viewby Sujatha Byravan, The HinduMay 6th, 2013The popular notion of the double helix being the main and the only player in cellular and genetic information is quite flawed.

Made-to-Order Embryos: You Want to Sell What?!by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMay 2nd, 2013The fact that a fertility clinic can own and sell made-to-order embryos for profit raises novel concerns that should not be collapsed into predefined frameworks used to assess other assisted reproductive technologies.

“World's First GM Babies Born”: 12-Year-Old Article Continues to Cause Confusionby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesApril 25th, 2013An undated Daily Mail article that is actually over a decade old continues to spread misinformation about human genetic modification.

The Baby Blueprint [VIDEO][With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]Al Jazeera EnglishApril 22nd, 2013Would you choose your child's genetic potential? Live debate with Marcy Darnovsky, Stuart Newman, Julian Savulescu, and Nita Farahany.

Synthetic Biology as Public Relationsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 17th, 2013Recent synthetic biology projects related to malaria, flu and conservation are providing PR cover for the field and its corporate sponsors.

Egg Freezing: WTF?*[Op-Ed]by Lynn M. Morgan and Janelle S. Taylor, The Feminist WireApril 14th, 2013Egg freezing is invasive, dangerous, unregulated, and insanely expensive. Worse, it isn’t a social solution, so it cannot address the social causes that make it so difficult to balance career and family.

The Right to Speak Out[Editorial]NatureApril 9th, 2013Controversy over the results touted by a genetic-ancestry firm has highlighted the need for reform of the United Kingdom’s restrictive libel law.

Are Parents Entitled To Create A Dream Child? [VIDEO][With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]HuffPost LiveMarch 29th, 2013What if science allowed prospective parents to create smarter and healthier babies? This idea is just as exciting as it is alarming, but is it realistic? Should it be?

The Era of Genetics-Based Advertising is Comingby Daniela Hernandez, WiredMarch 28th, 2013If you thought personalised advertising based on your Facebook status updates, Gmail content or online browsing behaviour was creepy, just you wait. The era of genetics-based advertising is coming, and it could be just as profitable.

GM Crops Evil, GM Children OK?by Chris Bennett, Western Farm PressMarch 27th, 2013China is surging ahead with a research project aimed at identifying millions of genetic variations in order to boost intelligence.

HeLa Publication Brews Bioethical Stormby Ewen Callaway, NatureMarch 27th, 2013The genome of the controversial cell line is no longer public, but another sequence is in the works.

Stem-Cell Ruling Riles Researchersby Alison Abbott, NatureMarch 26th, 2013The Italian health minister’s support for an unproven stem cell treatment appalls the country’s scientists.

Beyond Tokenistic Inclusion: Science, Citizenship, and Changing the Questions by Ruha Benjamin, Huffington PostMarch 25th, 2013The scientific community prides itself on free and open inquiry, and yet when it comes to raising questions about the social and political implications of our work, a peculiar form of self-censorship seems to be at work.

Online Petition Seeks Justice on Behalf of Dan Markingsonby Emily Smith Beitiks, Biopolitcal TimesMarch 25th, 2013Dan Markingson's binding enrollment in a clinical drug trial led him to commit suicide just six months in; a close friend has initiated a petition asking the Minnesota governor to investigate.

The Ultimate Easter Egg Hunt: ‘Ivy League Couple’ Seeks Donor With ‘Highest Scores’by Melinda Henneberger, The Washington PostMarch 21st, 2013Advertisements seeking "perfect" egg donors and promising hefty sums of cash proliferate on college campuses; the medical risks are much harder to unearth.

Racial Differences in Allergy Rates: Genes or Environment?by Diane Tober, Biopolical TimesMarch 21st, 2013Popular news outlets too often depict inconclusive research as fact, and this tendency seems particularly strong when the topic is related to race and genetics.

Broad Public Support for "3-Parent Babies" and Crossing the Human Germline? Not What the Data Sayby Jessica Cussins & Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 21st, 2013The UK regulatory agency’s summary of its public consultation on mitochondria replacement highlights "broad public support" for a procedure that would cross a crucial ethical and policy line. But that support is not actually demonstrated in its data.

Fixing Psychiatric Research At A University[Op-Ed]by Ed Silverman, PharmalotMarch 20th, 2013University of Minnesota bioethicist Carl Elliott has explored a controversial episode over a clinical trial and a suicide at his own university over the past few years; he explains why now is the time to get involved.

HealthWatch: Britain Considers Allowing Babies From 3 Parents [Video][With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Kim Mulvihill, CBS San FranciscoMarch 20th, 2013Britain's fertility regulator says it has found broad public support for in vitro fertilization techniques that allow babies to be created with DNA from three people for couples at risk of passing on potentially fatal genetic diseases.

Three-Person IVF Moves Closer in UKby James Gallagher, BBC NewsMarch 20th, 2013The UK has moved closer to becoming the first country to allow the creation of babies from three people.

The Narcissism of De-Extinctionby Hannah Waters, Scientific AmericanMarch 15th, 2013If people had the ability to resurrect extinct species and reintroduce them to the wild, should we direct our energy and resources towards it?

Cloning All Over Again: Reviving the Idea of Re-creating Speciesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 7th, 2013An environmentalist-turned-techno-enthusiast, a synthetic biology champion, and a cloning expert are teaming up to promote what they call "de-extinction."

GM Babies?by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMarch 5th, 2013A debate about genetically engineered babies is hijacked by slick rhetoric.

Synthetic Biology Comes Down to Earthby Paul Voosen, The Chronicle of Higher EducationMarch 4th, 2013Practitioners of synthetic biology made big promises and investors poured in the money, but most companies have made grinding progress, not breakthroughs.

Guidelines for Genetic Testing of Childrenby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 28th, 2013A new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Medical Genetics discusses when doctors should suggest a genetic test for a child.

Selling the Story: Down Syndrome, Fetal Gene Testing, and The Today Showby George Estreich, Biopolitical Times guest contributor, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 28th, 2013On The Today Show, a couple learns the results of a noninvasive prenatal test. Left unanswered are questions about the effects of new technologies, and how those technologies are sold.

To Claim Someone has 'Viking Ancestors' is no Better than Astrologyby Mark Thomas, The Guardian February 25th, 2013The truth about direct-to-consumer ancestry tests is that there is little scientific substance to most of them and they are better thought of as genetic astrology.

White House Unveils Long-Awaited Public Access Policyby Jocelyn Kaiser, Science InsiderFebruary 22nd, 2013In a victory for open access advocates, the White House science office will require that science agencies make federally funded papers freely available online within 12 months after the results appear in a journal.

Race as Biology in The New York Times by Diane Tober, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 21st, 2013A prominent science writer’s troubling choice of words about “race” suggest that it is biological reality rather than social category.

Al Gore: Human Biotech is a “Driver of Global Change”by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 21st, 2013In his recently released best-seller The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change, Al Gore calls for protocols to guide decisions about human genetic modification.

Gene-ism and the Trout in the Milkby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 19th, 2013The remains of King Richard III were not really identified by DNA, but that was what the headlines said.

How Soon Is Now? Prenatal Tests Racing from Theory to Practice by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 5th, 2013The rapid development and deployment of non-invasive prenatal genetic tests may be outstripping the ability of society to respond to them.

Neo Neanderthal[With CGS's Pete Shanks]by Alyona Minkovski, HuffPost LiveJanuary 25th, 2013A leading geneticist at Harvard Medical School says he can clone a Neanderthal and resurrect the extinct species. What are the ethical issues, risks and benefits?

Neanderthal Cloning Comments Spark Controversy in Scientific Community[Quotes CGS's Pete Shanks]by Jason Koebler, US NewsJanuary 25th, 2013The suggestion that scientists would need a "cohort" of Neanderthals is "irresponsible speculation."

George Church on Neanderthal Clones and Designer Babies by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 23rd, 2013George Church now says that he doesn't advocate cloning a Neanderthal with a human surrogate. Here's some context.

Gene-ism and Mass Murderby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 22nd, 2013Proposals to analyze the genes of a mass murderer have rightly drawn criticism from experts, including the editors of Nature.

A Dangerous Game: Some Athletes Risk Untested Stem Cell Treatments by Deborah Franklin, Scientific AmericanJanuary 16th, 2013Some professional athletes' enthusiasm for certain stem cell treatments outpaces the evidence.

A Rebuttal to Mark Lynas’ GMO Reversalby Jason Mark, Earth Island JournalJanuary 11th, 2013Organic farmer, writer, and environmental policy advocate delves into Lynas' rationale for turning pro-GMO and finds scientific, environmental, economic, and social reasons not to agree.

Sex Selection and Violence Against Women: Global Challengesby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 10th, 2013As important as it is to understand the differences across the globe, it is also crucial to consider – and to confront – the similarities and interlocking dynamics.

Stem Cell Showdown: Celltex vs. the FDAby Susan Berfield, Bloomberg BusinessweekJanuary 3rd, 2013The FDA has approved only one stem cell product and wrote a scathing report on Celltex, the Texan company that nonetheless continues to offer its controversial services.

Desperate Patients Seek Stem-Cell 'Miracle,' but Scientists Warn of Hidden Dangersby Marcia Heroux Pounds, Sun SentinelJanuary 3rd, 2013The recent World Stem Cell Summit pointed to reports of deaths, tumors, lumbar punctures and other potential harm, as well as vulnerable people being conned out of thousands of dollars.

Biotech's 10 Biggest PR Disasters of 2012GMWatchDecember 31st, 20122012 was the year the lights came up on the biotech industry. Its claims, its tactics and its products all came under scrutiny and some of its biggest PR fairytales bit the dust. Here are some prime examples.

My Concerns About Nature Paper on Genome Transfer for Mitochondrial Diseaseby Paul Knoepfler, Knoepfler Lab Stem Cell BlogDecember 20th, 2012Is this paper really a clinically relevant breakthrough for mitochondrial disease worthy of a Nature paper?

DNA Ancestry Testing: What Can it Say about Native American Identity?by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesDecember 20th, 2012The question of who belongs to what Native American tribe is rife with political, social, and legal implications. Do DNA ancestry tests provide answers or add another layer of misunderstanding?

Genes, Cells and Brains by Hilary Rose and Steven Rose - Reviewby Steven Poole, The Guardian (UK)December 19th, 2012A fascinating, lucid and angry book; a strong exposé of the hype surrounding genetics and neuroscience.

Public Expectations and Reality of Stem Cell Therapies Translationby Alexey Bersenev, Cell TrialsDecember 7th, 2012A just-published study indicates that public optimism about stem cell research and translation is largely unjustified and even delusional.

Fertility Clinics' Ad Regulation Falls Short, Report Says by Catherine Pearson, The Huffington PostDecember 6th, 2012There is too little oversight of how fertility clinics market themselves online, a new report charges, possibly misleading women about their chances of getting pregnant.

Mitochondria Replacement Would Forever Alter the Human Germline. Do You Want a Say? by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesNovember 15th, 2012The Center for Genetics and Society has sent a letter strongly recommending against changing the United Kingdom law that – like those in dozens of other countries – prohibits procedures that would alter the genes we pass on to our children.

Clones and Cloud Atlasby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 13th, 2012Of the many characters in Cloud Atlas that explore what it means to be human, the most eloquent is a genetically engineered clone.

Un-Mainstreaming Human Enhancementby Charles T. Rubin, The New AtlantisNovember 7th, 2012Human enhancements may be hard to resist, but so are many things we avoid because the consequences are much worse than the reward.

Frozen Egg Banks – A “Paradigm Shift” for the Fertility Industry?by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesNovember 1st, 2012If egg freezing takes off, finding a future child’s genetic mother may feel a lot more like “catalog shopping.”

Money Doesn't Talk, It Liesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 1st, 2012California's Proposition 37, which would require labeling of genetically modified food, is being battered by a million dollars a day of deceptive commercials, but the race is roughly tied.

Advocating Human Germline Interventionsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 28th, 2012Scientists in Oregon have published a paper that explicitly challenges the legal and procedural system that forbids genetic experiments on future generations, but most reports miss the full implications of the announcement.

Freezing Human Eggs for In Vitro Fertilization No Longer Experimental Procedure[with CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Margaret Warner, PBS NewshourOctober 19th, 2012Two differing views on the medical and ethical implications of freezing eggs for infertility treatment.

Bill McKibben on Real Time With Bill Maherby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesOctober 18th, 2012Bill McKibben discusses the radical implications of climate change and the troubling proposal made by some to "alter [human] behavior and physiology" to deal with these changes.

Anatomy of a Webpage, Part 2: Preconception Servicesby George Estreich, Biopolitical Times guest contributorOctober 17th, 2012People living with genetic diseases become medicalized abstractions of risk and defect in the slick marketing of fetal gene tests. More than a matter of semantics, such simplification has negative consequences for all.

Stem-Cell Fraud Hits Febrile Fieldby David Cyranoski, NatureOctober 16th, 2012As Hisashi Moriguchi's heart-treatment claims collapse, observers warn about the febrile nature of the iPS-cell field and caution against a rush to the clinic.

The HealerHow Shinya Yamanaka Transformed the Stem-Cell War and Made Everyone a Winnerby William Saletan, SlateOctober 9th, 2012Shinya Yamanaka's research on "induced pluripotent stem cells" earned him a Nobel Prize. But much of the media coverage missed half the story. Yamanaka’s venture wasn’t just an experiment. It was a moral project.

Proposed New Gene Manipulation Technique in IVF: Is it Safe? Needed? A Precedent to Designer Babies?by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 2nd, 2012Is a new “3-parent baby” fertility technique a way to avoid terrible disease, or a dangerous form of human experimentation?

'Single Gene May Hold Key to Life Itself'by Nathaniel Comfort, Huffington PostSeptember 23rd, 2012"Gene for..." headlines may be a symptom of, or catalyst for, Americans' infatuation with controlling life.

California and the Fourth Amendment[Editorial]The New York TimesSeptember 18th, 2012The New York Times editorializes on California's law requiring police to take DNA samples from people arrested but not yet convicted of felonies: "It is unconstitutional."

Feel-Good Surrogacy?: The New Normal Tackles ARTs with Lighthearted Banterby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 17th, 2012The New Normal showcases a lighthearted vision of surrogacy and gay parenthood that has moving moments, but largely misses the mark.

Most of What you Read was Wrong: How Press Releases Rewrote Scientific Historyby John Timmer, ARS TechnicaSeptember 10th, 2012ENCODE's definition of "functional" leads to misleading media coverage of the role of junk DNA.

Yet Another Study Claims to Find Politics in Our Genes by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 6th, 2012A study on genes and political identity comes out just in time for the presidential election, but says little that’s new.

New Ice Age for Wellbeingby Rachel Browne, The Sydney Morning HeraldAugust 5th, 2012A number of Australian IVF clinics tout egg freezing and storage for healthy women in their 30s who want a baby but are not yet ready to conceive.

Life: Digital and Synthetic?by Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesJuly 20th, 2012As Craig Venter unveils his newest plan to create life from scratch, questions about what this means and the consequences of doing so abound. What is life? A strange – perhaps obtuse – question. But the answer has profound consequences for how we as a society come to grips with novel biotechnologies.

Ethics Schmethics Says Ethicistby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJuly 19th, 2012The approach of the Olympics sparks the usual flood of pro-enhancement articles, notably an interview with Julian Savulescu.

"Tainted Families" Ancient and Modernby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJuly 11th, 2012Paul Lombardo has well summarized the use of the "Jukes family" myth to promote eugenics, in the 19th, 20th and now 21st century.

Survival of the Fastest?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJuly 10th, 2012Michael Johnson, the legendary athlete, recently made global headlines for suggesting that black American and Caribbean sprinters have a "superior athletic gene."

DNA Sells! (But don't give people ideas) by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJune 26th, 2012Madonna, the maven of media manipulation, deftly harvests headlines by denying fans her DNA.

Craig Venter’s Bugs Might Destroy the Worldby Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesJune 22nd, 2012A recent article in The New York Times Sunday Magazine hypes Craig Venter and synthetic biology as green solutions to the world’s woes. The real story is what the article missed.

Designer Babies in Popular Cultureby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesJune 21st, 2012The Whitest Kids U’Know’s comedic parody of genetic counseling is reminiscent of a similar scene in GATTACA.

Baby Contest: Couples Compete for Free IVF — Is This Exploitation or Generosity? by Bonnie Rochman, TIME HealthlandJune 19th, 2012The Sher Fertility Institute selected 3 couples out of 45 who submitted emotionally wrenching videos in order to win a free IVF cycle. For one judge, choosing her favorites felt like "playing God."

Let's Get Real on Synthetic Biology by Claire Marris and Nikolas Rose, NewScientist.comJune 11th, 2012As the race to build life from scratch pushes on, hyperbole drowns out nuanced discussion. We need more wide-ranging dialogue.

Human Genetics Commission Publish Final Reportby Rebecca Hill, BioNewsJune 7th, 2012The Human Genetics Commission has published its final report, which marks the end of its 12 years as an advisory body to the Government.

Bay Area Artist Looks to Biopolitical Issues for Inspirationby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesJune 7th, 2012Bay Area artist Doug Minkler addresses concerns about synthetic biology and the corporatization of scientific research in his socially conscious posters.

German Doctors Apologize for Holocaust Horrorsby Art Caplan, MSNBCMay 24th, 2012The German Medical Association has issued a remarkably blunt and straightforward apology, more than six decades after the end of World War II, for the role it played during the Holocaust.

The Real Chen Guangcheng Story: Forced Abortion, Eugenics, and the One-Child Policyby Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesMay 16th, 2012Amidst focus on the domestic and international political aspects of the Chen Guangcheng affair, the media have missed the real issue: forced abortion and forced sterilization in China.

This Time, It’s Personal: New Cystic Fibrosis Drug (with $294,000 Price Tag)by Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesMay 15th, 2012A new drug to treat some people with cystic fibrosis holds promise, but raises questions about the accessibility of "personalized" treatments.

Artificial DNA Presents Real Dangersby Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesMay 2nd, 2012The creation of “artificial DNA” has generated substantial media buzz. The untold story behind the hype is about the new risks synthetic biology presents.

Disturbing Reports of Government-led Forced Sterilization in Uzbekistanby Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesMay 1st, 2012The BBC breaks news of a government-sponsored coercive sterilization campaign in Uzbekistan.

Mara Hvistendahl's Unnatural Selection Finalist for Pulitzer by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 26th, 2012Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys over Girls, and the Consequences of a World Full of Men has been cited as one of the best books of 2011 by many publications, and has now been recognized by the Pulitzer Board as a finalist for the General Nonfiction award.

Gene of the Week: The Nice Geneby Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesApril 19th, 2012Media outlets hype "nice gene" study and distort scientific nuance in this week's "gene of the week."

Genetic April Foolery on NPR and in The Economistby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesApril 5th, 2012The mainstream media is increasingly getting into the April Fools game. This year featured at least two established news organizations suddenly finding a sense of humor and using genetic technologies to, at least for one day, betray their loyal readers’ trust.

A Burst of Useful (Not Utilitarian) Bloggingby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 22nd, 2012Bioethicists' articles about the permissibility of infanticide and a pill for racism have been drawing a buzz of outrage.

Writing Your Baby’s Synthetic Genome: Genetic Engineering for the Facebook Generationby Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesMarch 22nd, 2012A growing chorus of synthetic biology advocates is promoting using the new tools for "enhancing" future generations.

Celltex Muscles Ethics Professor For Contacting FDAby Ed Silverman , PharmalotMarch 12th, 2012Leigh Turner a bioethics professor from University of Minnesota, has been accused of spreading false information about Celltex Therapeutics in a letter he wrote to the FDA.

Gene of the Week — Not!by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 5th, 2012A pair of political scientists who specialize in behavioral genetics demolish a paper for claiming that "two genes predict political voter turnout" and then draw much broader conclusions about the failures of reductionist genomics.

Stem Cell Fraud Is the Real Issue in Texasby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 2nd, 2012Bioethicist Glenn McGee has resigned from Celltex. His connection with the controversial stem-cell company has raised important issues about its business practices.

Assisted Reproduction Technologies Hit Prime Time by Emily Beitiks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 23rd, 2012This month’s episodes of Glee and Modern Family – two of the most popular prime time television shows – featured central characters contemplating assisted reproductive technologies.

Worrying New Signs of Interest in Re-engineering Humansby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 23rd, 2012Several academics and defense department employees are actively discussing the idea of engineering people, for warfare, to express social values and even to react to climate change.

How a Genetically Engineered Super-Virus Spread – Through the Mediaby Gina Maranto, Biopolitical Times guest contributorJanuary 26th, 2012Controversy erupts over how much information about research on extraordinarily dangerous organisms should be made public. Many question whether the work should be done at all.

ACT Publishes First, Tentative Results of Embryonic Stem Cell Trialby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 25th, 2012Advanced Cell Technology released very limited but mildly promising preliminary results of its clinical trial, and convinced some, though not all, reporters to hype it.

Dog Cloning Infomercial on TVby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 12th, 2012A soft-focus TV documentary downplayed the practical realities of dog cloning in favor of kooky-human dramas

60 Minutes Exposes Stem Cell Scams — Againby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 10th, 2012For the second time in two years, 60 Minutes exposes a stem-cell scam and stresses that these are not isolated instances.

Cloning vs. Conservation[Opinion]by John Rennie, Smart PlanetDecember 20th, 2011Cloning is a dangerous and misguided substitute for the preservation of biodiversity.

An Interesting Weekend on the Perils of Building Better Humansby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 15th, 2011Last weekend offered an interesting conversation on past and more modern attempts at building betters humans, which might ultimately say something interesting about our human future.

Free Rudy! The Cosby Show and the Genetics of ‘Eating Your Vegetables’by Osagie ObasogieDecember 1st, 2011Writing for the UK Guardian, Anna Perman offers an explanation for why some people love Brussels sprouts while others find them despicable.

Signs of Skepticism About DNA Forensicsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesDecember 1st, 2011Several recent editorials and other articles are expressing a more nuanced view of the issues involved in DNA forensic databases.

An IVF Groupon? by Osagie ObasogieNovember 10th, 2011Some practitioners have used Groupon for elective procedures such as cosmetic surgery and teeth whitening. But is this a model for reproductive medicine?

Hwang Clones Coyotes, Scores Headlinesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 19th, 2011Disgraced South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-Suk continues his efforts at rehabilitation by cloning endangered coyotes.

What’s in a Number? 150+ Offspring from One Donorby Emily Beitiks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 7th, 2011Large numbers of children born from one sperm donor raise troubling concerns, but there are bigger issues at stake that the numbers alone do not capture.

Kaufman on Scientists’ Complicity in Media Misrepresentations of the Relationship Between Race, Genetics, and Health Disparitiesby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesOctober 7th, 2011A McGill epidemiologist draws attention to what seems like a peculiar situation concerning science reporting on the relationship between race, genetics, and health disparities.

Celebrating Dorothy Roberts and Fatal Inventionby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesOctober 6th, 2011The Center for Genetics and Society co-sponsored two events celebrating Dorothy Roberts' new book, Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-Create Race in the Twenty-First Century.

Celebrating Our Bodies Ourselvesby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 29th, 2011A series of public events marks the 40th anniversary of Our Bodies Ourselves.

Turning 40, Going Globalby Gina Maranto, Biopolitical Times guest contributorSeptember 28th, 2011Born in Boston, Our Bodies, Ourselves has become an international force for women's rights.

Scrambled Yeast: Breakthrough or Just More Hype?by Emily Beitiks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 15th, 2011The alluring notion that synthetic biology "breakthroughs" will soon enable us to rebuild genomes to desired phenotypic ends may be out of sync with the true state of our knowledge.

Sperm Donor Siblings: Family Trees, Invisible Rootsby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 8th, 2011The New York Times reports that some fertility clinics use sperm from “popular” donors over and over again, in one case creating 150 related offspring.

Yet Another Idea for Using Biotechnology to Rescue Endangered Speciesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 8th, 2011Scientists have reprogrammed skin cells from two endangered species into stem cells, and hope to use them to generate gametes, which has provoked press speculation.

Noteworthy Victory Against Genetic Discrimination Goes Unnoticed by Emily Beitiks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 8th, 2011The California Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act has now been signed into law, but press coverage has been non-existent.

Science Magazine Boosts Synthetic Biologyby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 7th, 2011A special feature in Science magazine is devoted to promoting synthetic biology.

The Problem with Twin Studiesby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesAugust 26th, 2011Slate's Brian Palmer critiques the proliferation of scientific findings based on twin studies that claim to isolate the genetic underpinnings of human behavior.

Race and bio-patents don't mixby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesAugust 3rd, 2011The Washington Post ran a piece drawing heavily on Jonathan Kahn's recent work, which examines how US patent procedure is forcing race into genetic and medical research.

The Abortion Trap[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Mara Hvistendahl, Foreign PolicyJuly 26th, 2011How America's obsession with abortion hurts families everywhere.

How to Hack a Genomeby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJuly 20th, 2011Synthetic biology seems to have taken a major step forward, with the publication of a technique for making multiple alterations to a living genome.

Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines on Outsourcing Clinical Trialsby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJuly 19th, 2011Fault Lines’ Zeina Awad offers a compelling inside look into the questionable business of using vulnerable populations from the developing world to test drugs that will not benefit them and will largely be consumed by Westerners.

California agency: Little cells, big salary[Editorial]Los Angeles TimesJuly 7th, 2011The big paycheck of the state's stem cell research agency chief is disturbing, particularly because it's a time when most state agencies are making radical cutbacks.

German campaign to stop DNA database expansion, now in English by Emily Stehr, Biopolitical TimesJuly 7th, 2011Human Q-tips are the symbol of the Gene-ethical Network's campaign to curtail the ever-expanding German DNA database

Are Skewed Sex Ratios In America’s Future? by Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJune 30th, 2011Might technological shifts turn Americans’ preference for sons into a full-blown son preference?

NY Bill to Expand DNA Database Stalls in Legislatureby Emily Stehr, Biopolitical TimesJune 30th, 2011Lawmakers argue over access to the state’s forensic database instead of addressing underlying concerns about DNA evidence reliability and individuals’ rights.

Promoting a Genetic Basis for Crimeby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJune 23rd, 2011An article in the New York Times celebrates a misguided trend toward genetic explanations for crime.

Honorary Degree For Henrietta Lacksby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJune 9th, 2011One of the most interesting ways in which Lacks has been recognized is the granting of a posthumous honorary degree (doctorate of public service) by Morgan State University

The Consequence of Unnatural Selection: 160 Million Missing Girlsby Marcy Darnovsky, Ms. Magazine BlogJune 6th, 2011Mara Hvistendahl's new book provides a deeper understanding of sex selection around the world and makes an urgent case for confronting it.

Toward a More Nuanced Science Journalismby Gina Maranto, Biopolitical Times guest contributorMay 29th, 2011Science journalism needs greater awareness of sociological, philosophical, and science studies approaches to science and policy.

Axing Gamete Donor Anonymity: British Columbia Ruling Reflects Growing Global Conversation by Jillian Theil, RH Reality CheckMay 26th, 2011A British Columbia judge has ruled that anonymity for gamete donors in the Canadian province is unconstitutional.

Annals of Human Genetics Does A Little “House Cleaning.” Sort Of.by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesMay 19th, 2011In a former incarnation, a well-respected scholarly journal promoted eugenics. It has now put its archives online.

Exoskeleton Helps UCB Student Walk for Graduation: Disability Justice or Cyborg Fantasy?by Emily Beitiks, Biopolitical TimesMay 18th, 2011A new invention for paraplegics allows a UCB grad to walk to accept his diploma, but the device comes with disability clichés and transhumanist potential.

Dreams of the Weekby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMay 18th, 2011Several recent announcements and studies appear to presage renewed interest in manipulating the biology that is thought to control longevity and especially our children's happiness and intelligence.

Gene of the Week: Attack on the "Warrior Gene"by Jillian Theil, Biopolitical TimesMay 11th, 2011In an effort to expose the “blame-it-on-our-genes-craze,” John Horgan at Scientific American takes a closer look at the so-called warrior gene.

Media Passes Gene Test, Parents Flunkby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 21st, 2011Parents interested in having their own genes tested also want to test their kids, but the media reports quote experts recommending against routine testing of children for adult-onset diseases.

Breast Cancer Gene Case Has Another Day in Court by Eric Hoffman and Jaydee Hanson, Biopolitical Times guest contributorsApril 7th, 2011A US appeals court hears arguments in a high-profile case challenging human gene patents.

More Arguing About Human Gene Patents in Courtby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesApril 7th, 2011A Federal Court of Appeals panel heard oral arguments in the Myriad case, but gave no hint of its decision; either way, many expect it to go to the Supreme Court.

Gene of the Week: Christianityby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 1st, 2011Gay scientists are reported to have isolate the 'Christian gene' and to have successfully removed it from experimental rats.

FDA Considers Regulation of DTC Gene Tests, Setting Blogs Ablaze by Jillian Theil, Biopolitical TimesMarch 17th, 2011Supporters and critics of direct-to-consumer gene tests debate an FDA advisory panel’s recommendations to conduct them in medical settings.

New film depicts a genetically engineered, anti-gay future by Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesMarch 17th, 2011Nisha Ganatra’s Beholder depicts a future in which children are genetically designed and homosexuality is screened out of the population.

What is it about people who want to clone dogs?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 9th, 2011Another eccentric character is paying $310,000 to have two dogs cloned in Korea.

Donor-Conceived Children Look for Their Own Biological Historyby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMarch 2nd, 2011A feature story in Newsweek highlights the growing trend for donor offspring to assert their right to know their genetic origins.

Criminal Surrogacy Ring Exposed in Thailandby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 2nd, 2011Police in Thailand have broken up a criminal operation, apparently based in Taiwan and with an office in Cambodia, that sold the services of Vietnamese women as surrogates.

Past medical testing on humans revealedby Mike Stobbe, The Washington PostFebruary 27th, 2011Much of this horrific history is 40 to 80 years old, but it is the backdrop for a meeting in Washington this week by a presidential bioethics commission.

Pushing the Bioethics Envelope to Serve Neo-Eugenic Purposesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 24th, 2011Prominent British-based bioethicists seem to be changing the terms of debate, in favor of eugenic interventions.

More on the Prospects for Genomic Medicineby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 16th, 2011Nature weighs in on the future of effective medical genomics, which seems some decades away.

Isn't It Time to Focus on the Real Future?by Jillian Theil and Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 16th, 2011Time magazine features a glowing story about Ray Kurzweil, of Singularity fame. But does the hoopla around Kurzweil's tomorrow distract from the important problems of today?

Mother Jones’ Illustrated Epigenetic Primerby Jillian Theil, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 10th, 2011Mother Jones features “The Illustrated Guide to Epigenetics.”

Will the UK legalize paying women for their eggs?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 19th, 2011The UK is starting a public consultation that is widely considered to be an attempt to evade the ban on paying for eggs and sperm.

Testing for Brainsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 19th, 2011Discussing DTC tests, even libertarians seem to slip into some kind of contradictory acceptance of regulation.

Your Next Book: Genetic Justiceby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 13th, 2011A new book about the use of DNA-based techniques in the criminal justice system is a biopolitical must-read.

Dog, Inc.: A Book About Peopleby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 11th, 2011A new book about dog cloning offers a deadpan description of the people involved.

The Baby Business: A Fairy Tale?by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 6th, 2011Yet another first-person account that puts rose-tinted glasses on the potential for exploitation in the commercial surrogacy business.

Synthetic Hypeby Jonathan Kahn, Biopolitical Times guest contributor, Biopolitical Times guest contributorDecember 27th, 2010Hype has consequences. It does not simply generate support for science; it profoundly impacts major decisions regarding the allocation of scare biomedical resources. It has also promoted the increasing commercialization of academia.

Synthetic Hypeby Jonathan Kahn, Biopolitical Times guest contributorDecember 27th, 2010Hype has consequences. It does not simply generate support for science; it profoundly impacts major decisions regarding the allocation of scare biomedical resources. It has also promoted the increasing commercialization of academia.

Gruesome Murder Plot With an ART Twist by Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 21st, 2010Infertility can be stressful, both emotionally and financially. It is not uncommon for this to lead couples to separate or divorce. But murder?

Researchers produce two-father mice babies, and bait the hype trap by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesDecember 14th, 2010Scientists fuel sensationalist speculation about reproductive methods for gay families.

"This Paper Should Not Have Been Published"by Carl Zimmer, SlateDecember 7th, 2010Scientists see fatal flaws in the NASA study of arsenic-based life.

Gene of the Week: One-night standby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesDecember 7th, 2010A small, tentative study is over-hyped even by its authors to emphasize casual sex.

Questions Over California’s Newborn Screening Programby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesNovember 24th, 2010KTVU ran a special report last week on California’s newborn screening program. The report highlights the extent to which parents are unaware that the bloodspot card is kept on file by the state. Indefinitely.

No Laughing Matter: The Risks that Human Research Subjects Faceby Jillian Theil, Biopolitical TimesNovember 18th, 2010Joking about putting human research subjects into harm’s way isn’t funny.

Europeans Want Regulation for Biotechby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 18th, 2010The latest Eurobarometer report on biotechnology shows that Europeans, in general, support medical uses of technology as long as they are carefully regulated.

Time to Nationalize IRBs? by Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesNovember 11th, 2010Alice Dreger makes a proposal worth paying attention to: nationalize institutional review boards (IRBs).

Science in the New York Timesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 11th, 2010The anniversary issue of the Science Times section includes analysis and predictions as well as news.

Gene Patent Ruling Raises Questions for Industryby Andrew Pollack, New York TimesNovember 1st, 2010Sharp reaction greeted the declaration that human and other genes are not patentable.

Reactions to US Government "Bombshell" against Gene Patents by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesNovember 1st, 2010The Department of Justice now says that genes are products of nature, not human-made inventions, and therefore cannot be patented.

Embryonic Stem Cells: A Small Step Forward?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 21st, 2010Geron's first clinical trial involving embryonic stem cells is greeted without much enthusiasm -- except by its competitors.

New Scientist Puts Another Chink in DNA Forensics’ Armorby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesOctober 14th, 2010The New Scientist’s Linda Geddes draws attention to the role of subjectivity in determining the significance of DNA evidence.

Women delay childbirth due to false fertility expectationsby Tom Blackwell, National PostOctober 13th, 2010A new study finds that women are delaying childbirth, partly because they have an exaggerated belief that fertility treatments will help them get pregnant well into middle age.

Nobel Award for IVF Sparks Speculationby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 7th, 2010The Nobel Prize awarded to Robert Edwards, for developing IVF, provoked some disturbing speculation.

Building Brighter Kids? Not exactlyby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 7th, 2010A Time Healthland headline grossly distorts a legitimate study on the effects of IVF on children.

Genism of the week: hybrid cars, chocolate, science fiction movies, mustard and jazzby Jillian Theil, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 23rd, 2010News coverage of a recent study on preferences fosters the worst kind of "genism."

60 Minutes on Stem Cells and Snake Oilby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 22nd, 201060 Minutes recently re-aired a story about stem cell con artists who play on the desperation of people with fatal degenerative diseases.

The Great Gene Hunt (cont'd)by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 3rd, 2010Accurate reporting and headlines should not be noteworthy, but when it comes to genetics they are -- and Reuters got one right.

ART and Art in the Movies 2010by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesAugust 25th, 2010Assisted reproductive technologies are a repeating theme this year in Hollywood, and the results seem to be decidedly mixed.

Should U.S. Citizenship Be Heritable?by Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesAugust 21st, 2010If not birthright, what should be the basis of citizenship?

Time to Clean Up After Cloning Cattleby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesAugust 17th, 2010The USDA is still committed to promoting livestock cloning, but recent bad publicity makes it clear that the technology remains unpopular, unnecessary, and unethical.

The futures that don't need us, that didn't happen, and that we should avoidby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesAugust 11th, 2010Two similar recent publications echo Bill Joy's "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us."

Wise Words from a Comedic Criticby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesJuly 14th, 2010Sultan of satirical news, Stephen Colbert regularly calls attention to important biopolitical issues. Within many of his uproarious commentaries and interviews are meaningful insights.

Made in Indiaby Molly Maguire, Biopolitical TimesJuly 2nd, 2010Made in India is a newly released documentary that explores India’s reproductive tourism industry through an ethical, social, and feminist lens.

Politics Belong in Scienceby Brendan Parent, Biopolitical TimesJune 30th, 2010Reflecting on Venter's recent announcement and Obama's call to study Synthetic Biology, Time's Nancy Gibbs clarifies that political engagement with science is essential.

A Curious Incidentby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJune 30th, 2010The 10th anniversary of the first Human Genome Project announcement passed with remarkably little hoopla.

A Singular Kind of Eugenicsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJune 16th, 2010Modern techno-utopianism, discussed in a recent feature on Singularity University, has worryingly eugenic overtones.

"Splice" is an Infertile Hybridby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJune 8th, 2010The movie Splice is neither deep enough to be interesting nor shocking enough to succeed as horror.

Reactions to Venter's Latest Synthetic Biology Announcement by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMay 22nd, 2010The announcement of the first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell provoked considerable comment, and led President Obama to make synthetic biology the first order of business for his Bioethics Commission.

IVF Doc Promotes IVF Shockby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMay 20th, 2010New reports that IVF will replace sex turn out to be based partly on a misunderstanding.

Gene of the Week: Debtby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 19th, 2010Recent headlines may have exaggerated a gene's apparent impact on indebtedness. On top of that, an observer proposed testing and perhaps even genetically modifying people for this condition.

Race, Genetics, and Law School Emailsby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesMay 9th, 2010The blogosphere was recently set ablaze by a leaked email from a third year Harvard Law student who, after a dinner with friends, wrote to clarify his/her position on race, genetics, and intelligence.

Fiction in Scienceby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMay 7th, 2010The journal Science cheapens its coverage of an important paper by including speculation, which it refutes, about the cloning of Neanderthals.

Gene Patents on CBS's "60 Minutes"by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 2nd, 2010This Sunday, the long-running American television news show will air a segment on the debate over human gene patents.

Gene of the Week: DIYby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 1st, 2010Claims that do-it-yourself abilities are genetic are even more problematic than other "genes of the week" on which we've commented before.

Historic Gene Patent Ruling Provokes Cheers and Jeersby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 31st, 2010A landmark court ruling that human genes cannot be patented provokes both praise and criticism.

Missing Girls in Asia: Two Frameworksby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMarch 11th, 2010What happens when modern reproductive technology enables son preference? Tens of millions of girls have died as young children due to neglect, have been killed as infants, or were never born due to sex-selective abortions.

DNA Ancestry Testing on TVby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 10th, 2010"Faces of America," with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., raised interesting questions though it somewhat over-simplified DNA ancestry testing.

Gene of the week: Entrepreneurshipby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMarch 5th, 2010A recent segment on the widely-broadcast public radio show Marketplace asks whether entrepreneurship is in our genes.

Immortal Cells and Persistent Controversiesby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 24th, 2010The riveting stories in a new best-seller are relevant to the biopolitical controversies we face today.

Pin the Sperm on the Eggby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 19th, 2010A San Francisco couple put a twist on the baby-making process by hosting a $35 a head party to raise funds for assisted reproduction.

Gene Patent Challenge Gets Support in the Pressby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 14th, 2010The lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of human gene patents received its first hearing, but the real developments occurred in the media.

Synthetic Biology as Super-Weapon?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 10th, 2010DARPA is investing in synthetic biology -- and provoking some criticism.

LA Times columnist's concerns over CIRM echo our ownby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 3rd, 2010One of the most prominent political commentators in the state has again taken on California's controversial stem cell research program.

Technology Updates: Inheritable Genetic Modificationby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 14th, 2010Two new technologies may make inheritable genetic modification significantly more feasible.

Nudging the Discourse?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 8th, 2010The Popular Mechanics article misleadingly titled "How to Create a Designer Baby" includes a call for regulation of assisted reproduction.

Reparations for Eugenics Victims Stall in North Carolinaby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 5th, 2010The Winston-Salem Journal reports that there's been negligible progress in issuing the allocated reparations.

Calls for Regulating Surrogacy in the New York Timesby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 5th, 2010The paper of record ran four opinions online, each calling for greater oversight of commercial surrogacy.

Technopolitics for the 21st Century: Civil Society Perspectivesby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesDecember 22nd, 2009Last week, the blog 2020 Science published ten invited "alternative perspectives on technology innovation" by public interest advocates.

Surgeon General’s Warning: Gupta Is At It Againby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 14th, 2009Sanjay Gupta is taking his uncritical approach to biology and social outcomes to the realm of radical life extension.

Enhancement: From Steroids to Skin Toneby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 5th, 2009As during the 1998 baseball season, when Mark McGwire is in the news, Sammy Sosa isn’t far behind. And neither are troubling questions about enhancement. Sosa shocked many a few weeks ago by appearing at the Latin Grammys with dramatically lighter skin.

Hot Air and Cat Hypeby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesDecember 3rd, 2009Allerca Lifestyle Pets is getting out of the hypoallergenic cat business - if it was ever really in it.

Cautious Optimism about Limited Gene Therapyby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 23rd, 2009Modestly encouraging signs of progress in gene therapy are welcome but should not be exaggerated.

Genes and Jobs: U of Akron Tests the Testing Lawsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 4th, 2009The University of Akron (UA) has a policy that could require any candidate for employment to submit a DNA sample, despite the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act.

Womb Transplants in Two Years?by Osagie Obasagie, Biopolitical TimesNovember 2nd, 2009A reality check greets British fertility researchers' claim that human womb transplants will be available in as little as two years.

Promises, Promisesby Stuart Blackman, The ScientistNovember 1st, 2009Ill-judged predictions and projections can be embarrassing at best and, at worst, damaging to the authority of science and science policy.

Return of the GenRich?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 29th, 2009There has been a brief flurry of discussion about future separate species of humans.

Hwang is Convictedby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 27th, 2009Hwang Woo-Suk, the notorious Korean stem-cell and cloning researcher, was given a suspended two-year prison sentence and three years of probation by a Seoul court on Monday.

Letter to the editor regarding "At Birth, Tales of Joy and Heartbreak"by Marcy Darnovsky, New York TimesOctober 14th, 2009It’s past time for the federal government to set rules for the fertility industry and establish ways to enforce them.

Monkeys, Mitochondria, and the Human Germline by Jesse Reynolds, Bioethics ForumSeptember 18th, 2009The researchers into radically novel techniques display an alarmingly casual attitude toward risks to the potential children born, the difficulties and dangers of obtaining the large numbers of the required women's eggs, and the potentially dire social consequences of human inheritable genetic modification.

What's in a Name?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 14th, 2009The naming of a new park after noted eugenicist William Shockley has drawn international attention to the small town of Auburn, California.

Gray Goo Hits the Silver Screenby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesAugust 31st, 2009G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra has been one of the summer’s top grossing movies, raking in over $256 million in box office sales over the past few weeks. From a Biopolitical Times perspective, what’s interesting is that the entire plot concerns the disaster and chaos that may come when nanotechnology falls into the wrong hands.

Everyday Eugenicsby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJuly 22nd, 2009Although the American Eugenics movement ended over 50 years ago, aspects of eugenic thinking continue to pop up from what seems like out of nowhere.

Michael Jackson, cloning, and assisted reproduction: The trivial and the troublingby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJuly 13th, 2009Michael Jackson was “obsessed” with cloning himself, and used assisted reproduction to produce three children “crafted to be `white’ enough to match [his] artfully devised if pathetically alienated image of himself.”

New York Times Editorials on Stem Cell ResearchJuly 13th, 2009A compilation of links to New York Times editorials on embryonic and cloning-based stem cell research

Sacramento Bee: "Stem cell chief's exit is long overdue"by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJune 24th, 2009The editorial board of the Sacramento Bee says that Robert Klein’s term as head of the state's stem cell agency can't end soon enough

Patriotic Puppies -- and a Prize!by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJune 23rd, 2009Another pet-cloning company emerges, with the same principals and the same gimmicks.

GATTACA Framing in the Newsby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJune 18th, 2009While the media hype machine has overwhelmingly pushed the “science can only benefit society” narrative, we also have to be critical of premature hints at doomsday scenarios. However subtle and sporadic, they can be just as troublesome.

In the News this Weekby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJune 12th, 2009A roundup of recent developments which have not been covered in our blog

Suze Orman Approves Dog Cloning. Reluctantly.by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJune 2nd, 2009Orman’s niche is to use plain-spoken common sense to berate people into saving money, investing conservatively, and living within their means. Which is why she had such a hard time with a call-in viewer who wanted to spend $100,000 on cloning his dog.

Modified Marmoset in the Mediaby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 29th, 2009American media coverage of genetically modified primates was remarkably thin, and few articles mentioned social and ethical implications

"A conspiracy of hype"by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 28th, 2009Bioethicist Alta Charo says that "there’s almost been a conspiracy of hype" in stem cell research.

"What color is the baby?" Green?by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 13th, 2009Race has a remarkable impact on media coverage of accidental switches of gametes or embryos in fertility clinics.

Fertility Drug Makes the Big Leaguesby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesMay 9th, 2009The suspension of LA Dodgers' Manny Ramirez sheds light on how hormonal drugs for egg collection are used.

National Geographic’s Mammoth Cloning Fantasyby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesApril 30th, 2009National Geographic promotes the idea of "resurrecting" the extinct woolly mammoth via cloning without discussing the technical or ethical issues involved.

Octomom® Inc.by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesApril 26th, 2009Assisted reproduction is big business – about $3 billion a year. But doctors are not the only ones cashing in.

This week in the newsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 24th, 2009A quick round-up of recent news stories

Moving in the Wrong Directionby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesApril 22nd, 2009In recent weeks, both Nevada and Colorado are pursuing state laws that would place arrestees’ DNA in forensic databases, right next to profiles from convicted felons.

Gene of the Week: Investingby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 7th, 2009A personal finance columnist at the Wall Street Journal asks, "Is Your Investing Personality in Your DNA?"

In the News this Weekby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 3rd, 2009DNA forensic phenotyping, single embryo transfer, egg donation and fertility, medical gene transfer retraction, and Hiltzik on CIRM.

Gene of the Week: Virginityby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 3rd, 2009A researcher has discovered a relationship between a particular gene and the age of one's first sexual encounter.

60 Minutes on Eyewitness Testimony and DNA Forensicsby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesMarch 31st, 2009Gut wrenching stories such as the one profiled by 60 Minutes may unduly “gold-standardize” DNA forensics and encourage a CSI culture that doesn’t think as critically as it should about these technologies’ potential abuses.

The Onion: Nothing to fear from giant crabsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMarch 23rd, 2009The Onion, which bills itself as the "World's Finest News Source," has a hilarious video "news" segment on giant, genetically engineered crabs

Antinori Clones a Claimby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 4th, 2009The controversial Italian fertility specialist Severino Antinori has said he cloned humans nine years ago, contradicting while roughly copying his own previous claims.

The Neanderthal campaignby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 19th, 2009Controversy about the idea of using genetic and cloning techniques in an effort to re-create Neanderthals.

There's no success like failure ...by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 6th, 2009Another attempt to clone an extinct species has failed, but been widely hailed as a success. Many more have been and are being considered.

Always falling behindby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 23rd, 2009A new report concludes that the US is still the world leader in stem cell research. Although likely true, the report should be viewed skeptically.

Parents might know what's best for their children, but do scientists?by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 23rd, 2009Some scientists are using their own children as research subjects, and not mentioning it to their IRBs.

60 Minutes Explores Developments in 'Mind Reading'by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 7th, 2009The emerging field of neuroscience is quickly making claims that it is able to use fMRI technologies to, in colloquial terms, read people’s minds

The Top Stories of 2008by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 6th, 2009The Center's bloggers compiled the top ten news stories in reproductive and genetic technologies for 2008.

And the Band Played Onby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 3rd, 2009In this time of economic recession, many companies selling luxury goods are having a hard time making the case to consumers that their services are still worthy of premium prices. The pet cloning company BioArts has tried to maintain interest in its service – which can run tens of thousands of dollars per cloned animal – through working the media.

This Week in the News: New Year's Editionby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 1st, 2009Recent news items that have not otherwise been mentioned in Biopolitical Times

St. Petersburg Times Covers Clinical Trial Outsourcing to Indiaby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 31st, 2008When we think of Pulitzer prize winning newspaper series, we often think of the New York Times or The Washington Post. But a new special report in the St. Petersburg Times on clinical trials in the developing world should give the big boys a run for their money next year.

Gene Doping Conference Makes Headlinesby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesDecember 24th, 2008A few advocates of gene doping by athletes regularly make the news, as they did at a conference last week.

Eggs, wombs and the economy: Hard times fuel a buyers’ marketby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesDecember 16th, 2008The economic crisis has created a surge in the number of women seeking cash by providing eggs or carrying surrogate pregnancies for other people.

Nature Makes Newsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesDecember 11th, 2008Nature has published a Commentary that advocates the use of "cognitive-enhancing drugs."

This Week in the Newsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesDecember 1st, 2008A weekly roundup of news stories that have not been covered at Biopolitical Times.

The rich are different from you and me: Yes, they hire surrogatesby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesDecember 1st, 2008The cover story of last week's New York Times Sunday Magazine addresses the issue of the commercialization of assisted reproduction in a manner that is simultaneously bluntly honest and painfully naive

Reproductive health journal examines new technologiesby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesNovember 19th, 2008"Those working within the progressive advocacy landscape are increasingly challenged to develop a nuanced understanding of the benefits and risks of reproductive genetics."

Last Second Shotby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesNovember 17th, 2008ESPN recently ran a web feature story and televised segment (see below) on NBA All- Star forward Carlos Boozer and his son’s struggle with sickle cell anemia.

Leftover embryo quandariesby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 7th, 2008Donating unused embryos, and minimizing conflicts of interest between fertility doctors and stem cell researchers.

The spitterati and trickle-down genomicsby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 17th, 200823andMe's use of celebrities and glitzy parties to promote its direct-to-consumer DNA tests has deflected attention from the concerns and criticisms of physicians, bioethicists, and regulators.

In the News This Weekby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 12th, 2008A brief roundup of news stories during the past week.

How turn a gene for this into one for thatAnd try to make money in the processby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesAugust 22nd, 2008A small firm is not only offering the "ruthlessness gene" test, but has created a target market: offering what it portrays as "the first genetic screen for marital success."

Discover magazine sets a new bar for pufferyby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesAugust 20th, 2008An interview with Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology in the latest issue of Discover sets a new standard for "puff piece."

This Week in the Newsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesAugust 15th, 2008A brief roundup of this week's news.

Washington Post: Inadequate supply of Viking sperm a crisis for successful single womenby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesAugust 14th, 2008How reasonable are the expectations and disappointments of a woman, featured on the front page of the Washington Post, who's having difficulty obtaining a second sample of sperm from the Danish man who sired her first child?

Cloning Canine Patriotism?by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJuly 11th, 2008Hwang Woo Suk's dog cloning company is running online auctions and a "Golden Clone Giveaway" essay contest. Fortunately, the media are mostly ignoring the hype.

In the News this Weekby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJuly 4th, 2008

In the News this Weekby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJune 20th, 2008

Back From the Dead: What Dog Cloning Means for Our Human Futureby Osagie K. Obasogie, AlternetJune 16th, 2008Brought to you by BioArts International, a Northern California biotech startup, man and his dead best friend can now be, as the company's marketing slogan states, "Best Friends Again." And again. And again . . .

Henry Louis Gates Jr. Interviews James Watsonby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJune 9th, 2008Race scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., who has filmed two documentaries on race, genetics, and ancestry while also founding a DNA ancestry company, was troubled by Watson’s seemingly pernicious use of race and genetics....This led Gates to interview Watson to, in a sense, determine whether he’s a bigot.

Willy Wonka and the cloning factoryby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJune 5th, 2008Is Lou Hawthorne biotech's Willy Wonka?

In the News this Weekby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 23rd, 2008News highlights in human genetic and reproductive technology.

Media Coverage of Genetically Modified Embryosby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 13th, 2008Here is a roundup of some of the media coverage from the weekend's revelation that scientists have created a genetically modified human embryo.

In the News this Weekby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 9th, 2008A new federal stem cell bill; misuse of genetics in prosecutions; and stem cell questions in New Jersey.

Contrasting Coverage of CIRMby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 7th, 2008The state's two largest newspapers each had a preview of today's CIRM meeting, yet they were quite different from one another.

Stem Cell and Cloning Confusion, Once Againby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 29th, 2008A frustrating aspect of working in stem cell policy is the nearly incessant conflation of the various types of stem cell research.

Washington Post on DNA Forensicsby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesApril 22nd, 2008The Washington Post takes a serious look at the social and legal implications of DNA forensics.

In the News this Weekby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 18th, 2008A summary of a handful of news articles from the past week.

Inaccuracy and Histrionics in Louisiana by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 17th, 2008In a too-common occurrence, the media are inaccurately portraying a stem cell bill, and research advocates are exaggerating its potential impact.

CGS debates libertarian bioethicist Ronald Greenby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesApril 14th, 2008Countering advocacy of a designer-baby future in the Washington Post and on Talk of the Nation.

This Week in the Newsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 11th, 2008A summary of a few articles in the news this week.

Two Takes on iPS cells in Natureby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 10th, 2008Two articles – one in Nature and one in an offshoot journal - indicate the spectrum of response to the potential of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.

Gene of the Week: the Ruthless Dictator Geneby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 9th, 2008A recent Nature article touting the discovery of the "ruthless dictator" gene goes a step beyond the excessive simplification of much reporting of genetic associations.

Burying the Leadby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesApril 7th, 2008While the American media have frequently reported on sex selection and shifting sex ratios abroad, this seems to be the first empirical evidence that the practice and its consequences do not simply happen “over there.”

What makes surrogacy like military service? by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesApril 4th, 2008There are a number of similarities, starting with the fact that both involve putting your body and health on the line for a cause.

More on Personal Genomicsby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMarch 26th, 2008Comments on consumer-oriented genetic tests, from the ridiculous to the very sober.

Gene of the Week: Happinessby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMarch 13th, 2008Under the headline "Happiness all in the genes: study" was an all-too-typical article on a widely-reported recent genetic association.

Who’s Biting Who?: Headlines on white surrogate for Asian coupleby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesMarch 10th, 2008Probably the oldest cliché in journalism is that the everyday ‘dog bites man story’ is not nearly as newsworthy as when the proverbial man who turns the tables and bites the dog. But when it comes to reproductive technologies, race is increasingly becoming the dividing line between journalists’ view of the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Science by press release — PrimeGen’s murky stem-cell “breakthrough”by David Hamilton, The Industry StandardMarch 3rd, 2008Last week, PrimeGen Biotech claimed it had successfully transformed adult cells into stem cells, without using viral gene therapy that could trigger cancer. But there's no shortage of reasons to treat PrimeGen's claims with skepticism.

PhRMA and BIO self-image: Downtrodden and besiegedby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 25th, 2008Pity the poor bioscience industry.

More media coverage of surrogacy outsourcingby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 21st, 2008The Today Show reports on the "rent-a-womb" boom in India.

Looking for Donor Dadsby Jamie D. Brooks, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 18th, 2008The Oprah Winfrey Show features kids of sperm donors looking for their biological dads.

Should rich and poor alike be free to sell their kidneys?by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 6th, 2008A massive kidney trafficking racket exposed last week in India continues to unravel.

Genetic Information as Fashionable Fetishby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 31st, 2008Genome scans offered by the well-connected 23andMe are now a fashionable fetish among the world's elite

Geneticizing Disease [PDF]Implications for Racial Health Disparities by Jamie D. Brooks and Meredith L. KingJanuary 15th, 2008This joint report by the Center for American Progress and the Center for Genetics and Society examines the mainstream media's focus on genetic links to disease and health disparities and recent attempts to racialize those genetic links. Detailed in the report are the implications of this trend and a refocusing of the discussion on racial health disparities on the social determinants that impact disparities in the United States.

2007 in Review: The Baby Business Makes NewsGenetic CrossroadsDecember 21st, 2007The commerce of reproductive technology took some disturbing new twists this year.

When You Play With Dirt, You Get Dirty by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 13th, 2007Slate’s Will Saletan has backed himself into a corner by coming to the defense of James Watson – the eccentric DNA pioneer who found himself pontificating on how Blacks’ separate evolutionary patterns conferred certain genes that depress their intellects.

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