The birth of neuroethics
Staunchly agnostic or atheistMost histories of bioethics say that its origins are deeply religious. America’s best-known bioethics commentator, Arthur Caplan, recently told a seminar that...
The clone ranger rides again
Antinori claims that he has cloned three childrenOne of the original clone rangers is back in the saddle. Italian gynaecologist Severino Antinori claims that he...
Why the delay in Obama’s stem cell policy?
Frustrating lack of action Advocates of cures with human embryonic stem cells are restless because President Obama has not delivered on his promise to lift...
Cost of IVF explains octuplets
Lack of government and private insurance means corner-cutting Her publicist has resigned after death threats. She has been reviled as unhinged, irresponsible and parasitic. Her...
Obama delays lifting of ban on stem cell funding
Advocates are impatient "As president, I will lift the current administration’s ban on federal funding of research on embryonic stem cell lines created after August...
Foreigners evade transplant ban in China
17 Japanese get organs The habit of organ trafficking dies hard. Even though transplants for foreigners have been banned in China since May 1, 2007,...
Should autistic children be aborted?
If we can’t abort them, where will we draw the line, asks Guardian columnist What should happen when a prenatal test for autism becomes available?...
Death row donation in Singapore
Retail magnate gets kidney An ailing Singapore retail magnate has a new lease on life after an executed Triad boss donated his kidney. Tang Wee...
Are we evolving beyond “meat-based” intelligence?
Latest developments in transhumanist project What happens when we take the reins in evolution and start to engineer ourselves? This question is being raised more...
Love potion No. 9 is on the way
What happens when it wears off? Research into the biology of pair bonding could lead to drugs which induce "love", predicts a researcher in the...
Is Dignitas profiting from assisting suicide?
Dignitas head denies all allegations Police are investigating the Swiss organisation Dignitas after persistent allegations that the group and its founder have become rich by...
“Wicked doctors” refuse to help aged commit suicide, says Warnock
"What is the point of the life at the last stages of Alzheimer's or dementia? The controversial Baroness Mary Warnock, the UK’s most prominent bioethicist,...