Bioethics

  • Read more: Reproducing After One’s Suicide
    Article

    Reproducing After One’s Suicide

    By I. Glenn Cohen If you live long enough you really do see it all. News.Com.Au reports that an Australian judge has permitted a widow to extract sperm from the body of her husband who recently committed suicide to be used for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) of the woman. According to the report “The woman,…

  • Read more: Genetic Testing as Social Networking
    Article

    Genetic Testing as Social Networking

    By Elizabeth Sepper In the market for discount genetic testing?  Want to share your genetic markers with friends?  No?  You might soon be alone. Last week, I got an email from the mega-discounter Groupon advertising 68% off a “DNA Self-Discovery Kit.”  The company, ConnectMyDNA, allows Groupon users to send in a cheek swab and receive…

  • Read more: At $28,000 a Dose, How Effective Is Acthar?
    Article

    At $28,000 a Dose, How Effective Is Acthar?

    By Jonathan J. Darrow In a well-researched, recent post, Patrick O’Leary addresses the FDA’s efficacy requirements as applied to an old drug, Acthar (corticotropin), that was first approved in 1952 and granted an orphan designation in 2010 for the treatment of infantile spasms. The initial approval therefore occurred before the Drug Amendments of 1962, which…

  • Read more: American Society for Bioethics and Humanities – Call for Proposals
    Article

    American Society for Bioethics and Humanities – Call for Proposals

    By The Petrie-Flom Center The 2013 ASBH Call for Proposals is now open. Details regarding the call can be found on the ASBH homepage (www.asbh.org). There you will find a link to the abstract submission site as well as a PDF containing the submission guidelines, including instructions for the Student Paper Competition. Abstracts will be…

  • Read more: Call for Applications: Fellowship in Medical Ethics, 2013-2014
    Article

    Call for Applications: Fellowship in Medical Ethics, 2013-2014

    By The Petrie-Flom Center Harvard Medical School, Division of Medical Ethics Fellowship in Medical Ethics, 2013-2014 The Division of Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School supports research and teaching on ethical issues in medicine, health, and healthcare policy and practice.  The Fellowship in Medical Ethics is open to physicians, nurses, lawyers, social workers, and others in academic…

  • Read more: Who Pays? The Wage-Insurance Trade-off and Corporate Religious Freedom Claims
    Article

    Who Pays? The Wage-Insurance Trade-off and Corporate Religious Freedom Claims

    By Elizabeth Sepper Happy new year to all and thanks to the Bill of Health for the opportunity to blog this month! The first day of 2013 saw yet another ruling in the contraception coverage controversy.  And yet another private corporation—this time a real estate management company owned by the billionaire founder of Domino’s pizza—won…

  • Read more: Last opportunity to donate well
    Article

    Last opportunity to donate well

    By Nir Eyal Still deliberating which charity to give money to this year? The best charity evaluator is an organization called GiveWell. With one major reservation, you can safely follow their recommendations. And yes, you really should donate a bunch–today, and as a New Year’s resolution. If you choose the right cause, you could do…

  • Read more: ‘Frankenfish’ far less scary than fast food
    Article

    ‘Frankenfish’ far less scary than fast food

    By Art Caplan [cross-posted from his NBCNews Vitals column] Two big events recently took place in the world of food: The Food and Drug Administration decreed that genetically engineered salmon wouldn’t harm the environment and McDonald’s announced that its McRib sandwich is back on the menu. The FDA’s announcement paves the way for the first approval of…

  • Read more: Sterilizing incompetent drug-addicted women
    Article

    Sterilizing incompetent drug-addicted women

    By Cristiane Avancini Alves A court in Brazil recently held that the mother of a drug-addicted adult woman (who is pregnant and who already has three children) may seek the court’s authorization for the tubal ligation of her daughter provided the daughter is unable to manage her own affairs. The Brazilian health system has received an…