April 2008

California Schemin’

My piece just out now on the egg sharing scheme proposed for the shortage of eggs in California. In an effort to get more eggs into the hands of cloning researchers, the president of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), Alan Trounson, recently suggested the solution to the human egg shortage is to implement [...]

Read the full article →

The Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act

The Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act (H.R. 5910) was introduced in the House on April 24 by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ). Identical legislation, S. 2358, was introduced in the Senate last fall by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). This legislation couldn’t have come soon enough if you’ve been following what is going on the U.K. as it [...]

Read the full article →

Heart and Blood Cells from Reprogrammed Skin Cells

More successes in iPS cell research from down at UCLA. “I believe iPS cells address many of the shortcomings of human embryonic stem cells and are the future of regenerative medicine,” said MacLellan, an associate professor of cardiology and physiology. “I’m hoping that these scientific findings are the first step towards one day developing new [...]

Read the full article →

California Schemin

In an effort to get more eggs into the hands of cloning researchers, the president of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), Alan Trounson, recently suggested the solution to the human egg shortage is to implement an “egg-sharing” program. Rule number one, always BEWARE of euphemisms! At the February 28, 2008, the CIRM Standards [...]

Read the full article →

Senate Passes the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act today

Great news for all of us in America. Now that the human genome project has successfully mapped our DNA, and there more than 1000 genetic tests available today, there was the concern for genetic discrimination. Jobs could be awarded based on genetic health. Insurance could be denied based on genetic profile. But today, 95-0, the [...]

Read the full article →

Fading Follicles – the essence of ovarian ageing

This year I had made up my mind NOT to miss this conference. I could have kicked myself for not making the trip in 2007. But I am so glad that I did attend this year. I learned a lot, had much confirmed in my mind and came back with a brand new stack of [...]

Read the full article →

Patricia Piccinini

When I was in London, my colleague pointed me to the work of artist Patricia Piccinini. Her work is fascinating and very important as it relates to the broader bioethics debates. This image is “Still Life with Stem Cells”. She has quite a few pieces in her “We are family” series. Check her out here.

Read the full article →

Who’s Your Daddy – redux

My interview with Wendy Kramer, founder of Donor Sibling Registry, is LIVE over here. Wendy contacted me after I wrote this piece and from our conversations it seemed we had much to agree on in the whole business of “lack of regulation” in the fertility industry. I hope you enjoy the interview. Let me know [...]

Read the full article →

Sorry for the travel hiatus. Great trip to London. More to come on that later, but for now catching up on some great things in my inbox over the last week. My friend sent me this from Bloomberg.com which is very interesting on the role the FDA has on approving clinical trials in humans using [...]

Read the full article →

London Bound

I am heading off to London today to attend this conference, the Second World Congress on Mild Approaches in Assisted Reproduction. I will be coming back with the latest new and improved methods of addressing infertility. Hopefully, writing about all that I learn here for you later this month. Meanwhile, am backlogged and parking some [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries