News

'Superbabies' Startup Seeks Funds for Controversial Gene Editing Push

By Sophie Alexander and Ike Swetlitz, Bloomberg | 06.25.2025

A California-startup focused on genetically editing human embryos — a step toward creating so-called designer babies — is raising money as many of Silicon Valley’s ultra-rich turn their attention to one of the most controversial technologies in medicine.

Bootstrap Bio...

Patents & Other IP

Can doctors test embryos for autism? And should they?

By Brittany Luse, Liam McBain, and Neena Pathak, NPR [cites CGS' Katie Hasson] | 05.28.2025

A newly available kind of genetic testing, called polygenic embryo screening, promises to screen for conditions that can include cancer, obesity, autism, bipolar disorder, even celiac disease. These conditions are informed by many genetic variants and environmental factors - so...

Genetic Selection

Why Deleting Your 23andMe Data Is a Political Imperative

By Katie Sagaser, The DNA Exchange | 05.27.2025

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this piece are solely my own and do not represent those of my...

U.S. Federal

Trumpian “Common Sense” and the History of IQ Tests

By Pepper Stetler, Los Angeles Review of Books | 05.08.2025

^{"Donald Trump Signs The Pledge" by Michael Vadon

is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.}

This is...

Society

Ethics changes notwithstanding, creating genetically modified babies is still illegal in SA

By Tamsin Metelerkamp [cites CGS' Katie Hasson], Daily Maverick | 11.18.2024

The National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC) has confirmed that heritable human genome editing (HHGE) remains illegal in South Africa...

Genetic Selection

Emboldened anti-abortion groups create wishlist for second Trump term

By Carter Sherman, The Guardian | 11.17.2024

The anti-abortion movement is ready for its comeback in 2025.

With the return of Donald Trump to the White...

Policies

The Legal and Ethical Debate on Human Heritable Genome Editing (HHGE) in South Africa

By Jantina de Vries, EthicsLab | 11.15.2024

The conversation around human heritable genome editing (HHGE) in South Africa is marked by controversy and conflicting interpretations of the...

Other Countries

Ethics Washing: The Misappropriation of Ubuntu in the Ethics of Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE)

By Anye Nyamnjoh, EthicsLab | 11.15.2024

In their argument for equal access to heritable human genome editing (HHGE) as a healthcare service for future generations...

Other Countries

Elon Musk Has Always Been Like This. So Has Silicon Valley.

By Colette Shade, The New Republic | 11.14.2024

^{Photo "Elon Musk" by Daniel Oberhaus on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)}

Would Donald Trump have won reelection if not for...

Policies

Kennedy’s F.D.A. Wish List: Raw Milk, Stem Cells, Heavy Metals

By Christina Jewett, The New York Times | 11.12.2024

^{"Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at Legends Event Center in Phoenix, Arizona."...}

U.S. Federal

Fertility agencies accused of promoting eugenics with embryo selection

By Ewan Bolton, The Telegraph | 11.12.2024

Fertility agencies offering embryo selection for IVF and surrogacy have been accused of promoting eugenics and misleading consumers about the...

Genetic Selection

Opening the Door to ‘Designer Babies’? South Africa’s Genome Editing Guidelines Spark Global Debate

By Bernice Lottering, Gene Online | 11.08.2024

South Africa’s updated health-research ethics guidelines, which now include heritable human genome editing, have sparked concern among scientists. The revisions...

Assisted Reproduction