Bioethics in the News

With thanks to the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity for flagging some stories in the news. Some crazy stuff here. 

Mixed media: Frozen embryos andopen adoption A couple with frozen embryos decide they don't want more kids. So they donate the embryos to a couple that does—onone condition. The couple adopting the embryos have to provide periodic updates. (MSNBC)

Ethicists say killing babies is nodifferent from abortion Seriously.They’re “for” doing so. Check out the entire articlein the Journal of Medical Ethics. The rationale: since newbornbabies are not “actual persons,” they have no “moral right to life.” Maybe these "ethicists" should check out their presupposition, eh? They argue thatparents should be able to have a baby killed if it turns out to be disabledwhen it is born. (Telegraph) What next? My kid should be able tokill me when I get old and disabled? When I'm no longer the person I once was?

Washington wants health insuranceplans to cover abortion
 At a time when Virginiawants women to know more (via sonograms) before getting abortions, Washington couldbe the first state to require health plans to cover them. (OregonLive)

Stem-cell going strong in the Lone StarState
 With my home state pouring millions into developingadult stem-cell treatments, doctors here are already injecting paying customerswith unproven preparations, supplied by an ambitious new company. (Nature News)

Egg-making stem cells found inadult ovaries
 For sixty years, biologists andscientists (and people like me who write books quoting them) have told us thatwomen are born with all the eggs they will ever produce. But guess what? (Nature News)