When is illness ‘terminal’?
A State Senator in Hawaii, Breene Harimoto gave an emotional address this week to persuade his colleagues to vote against a bill for legalising physician-assisted...
UK report on prenatal testing calls for ban on sex disclosure
But supports warning parents over Down syndrome A new report by the UK's Nuffield Council on Bioethics, “Non-invasive prenatal testing: ethical issues”, has probably pleased...
Will curing the deaf lead to ‘cultural genocide’?
If deafness disappears, who will speak their language? It is estimated that half of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages are in danger of disappearing. Under...
IVF world market to reach US$12 billion
Market is expanding to Asia and Africa The world market for IVF and IVF products will grow from US$8.4 billion this year to $12.5 billion...
Taiwan grapples with the public health ethics of discouraging betel nut
A bad habit with a huge health cost Betel nut, a mild stimulant often used by truck drivers, fishermen, and construction workers, stains the teeth...
Patient advocates often in cahoots with industry
They receive significant funding and industry reps sit on their boards Over the past few decades, hundreds of patient-advocacy organizations have emerged in the United...
MD stands for Massive Deception
Australian hospitals duped by fake doctor Most doctors work for years to achieve certifications, competence, money and social status. But as headlines in Australian newspapers...
Why newspapers publish ‘fake news’ about science
Articles reporting that old headlines are not true tend not to end up on the front page Rage over fake news is the fashionable complaint...
Parramatta enters the bioethics debate
Parramatta is just 20 minutes west of the BioEdge office. It’s not a city which has made a huge mark on the world, although not...
Is it ethical to refuse a patient surgery for body art?
An ethicist argues that conscientious objection is not morally acceptable. The “bioartist” Stelarc has an ear surgically implanted on his forearm. Like him, a number...
No case to answer in UK’s odd female genital mutilation imbroglio
How FGM overlaps with cosmetic surgery An unusual criminal investigation in London of high-profile doctors for female genital mutilation (FGM) has collapsed. FGM is usually...
Montana came SO close to closing the door to assisted suicide
The status quo remains unchanged The status of assisted suicide in the US state of Montana is curiously ambiguous. In 2009 the Montana Supreme Court...