Bioethics in the News
Shutdown harms the sick. Clinical trials continue, but only ata crawl. The government has continued to enroll critically illpeople in clinical trials at NIH, but many of the sick are having to wait. (New York Times)
Number of surrogate births rising.
Clients come from all over the U.S. and Europe to have theirsurrogate babies in Illinois, which has surrogacy-friendly laws. (Chicago Tribune)
Alzheimer’s breakthrough hailed as“turning point.”
The discovery of the firstchemical to prevent brain tissue death in a neurodegenerative disease has beenhailed as the “turning point” in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.Scientists say a resulting medicine could treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’sand other diseases. (BBC)
Conscious or not? Now a bedside scan can show embers ofconsciousness in coma patients, revealing anactive mind hidden inside an unresponsive body. Tests are also under way alsoto monitor people under general anesthetic, to make sure they do not regainconsciousness during operations. (New Scientist)
Secrets of trial data revealed.
Groups are in a deadlock over plans to make public somesensitive data gleaned from clinical trials. And a study reveals why the restrictedinformation could be valuable. (Nature)
TB and AIDS linked. Most new TB cases are in sub-Saharan Africa: more than 260people (vs. France’s 4) per 100,000 in 2011. And the region is in the grips ofan HIV epidemic. TB kills more people living with HIV than anything. (Nature)
Medical tourism on the rise. America spendsmore on health care than any other nation. And the cost can force uninsured orunder-insured Americans to travel abroad for treatments, many times at afraction of the cost. (CBS News)
Amniotic stem cells may help repaircardiac birth defects. Researchers at the U. ofMichigan are testing an alternative to embryonic stem cells that could one dayregenerate muscle tissue for babies with heart defects. (Medical Xpress)
Breakthroughs in prenatal screeningannounced.
The newest screening test, highlyaccurate and noninvasive, is available commercially. The test is so accurate indetecting Down syndrome that few, if any, affected fetuses are missed. Now farfewer women need an invasive procedure to determine if Down is present. (New York Times)
Big pharma not exactlydisinterested. A scientific panel that shaped U.S.policy for testing painkillers was funded by major pharmaceutical companiesthat paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for the chance to influence the FDA.(The Star Tribune)
Fake paper exposes failed peerreview
The widespread acceptance of an atrocious manuscript,fabricated by an investigative journalist, reveals the near absence of qualityat some journals. (The Scientist)
Once again, this list is brought to you in part by the good folks at the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity.