Bioethics in the News

The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity sends out a news update every Friday. They find the most interesting headlines for the week that relate to bioethics and distribute. I’ve included below a few of this week’s choices with my comments.

Virus-free technique enables scientists to easily make stem cells pluripotent
Tiny circles of DNA are the key to a new and easier way to transform stem cells from human fat into induced pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine. [I willingly offer my fat cells to science. But I suspect there’s a long line ahead of me.]

Ethics debate over blood from newborn safety tests
A critical safety net for babies - that heelprick of blood taken from every newborn - is facing an ethics attack. After those tiny blood spots are tested for a list of devastating diseases, some states are storing them for years. Scientists consider the leftover samples a treasure, using them for medical studies.

Medicines not working? There’s an app for that
Drugmakers are starting to get into bed with information technology companies as they struggle to prove the value of their medicines to governments and insurers. (Reuters)

Stem cell alternatives show early aging abnormalities
A first head-to-head comparison of human embryonic stem cells with ones grown from skin cells, reported Thursday by biologists, revealed early aging and other abnormalities in the less-controversial alternatives. (USA TODAY) [Interesting. Normally it’s been the other way around. I’ll be watching this one.]

Mental Illness Diagnostic Manual Rewritten
The first draft of the new psychiatric manual [set for finalization in 2013] makes major changes in how a wide range of mental illnesses will be diagnosed.