Let’s think about euthanasia, says UK’s new old people’s tsar
"The thinking man’s crumpet" wants to celebrate achievements of elderlyDubbed "the thinking man's crumpet" in the 60s, 75-year-old broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, as famous for...
End of the road for Italy’s Terri Schiavo
Father of Eluana Englaro authorised to remove feeding tubesAfter years of heated debate, Italy’s top court has ruled that the father of 35-year-old Eluana Englaro,...
The future of choice under Obama
Not all good news For decades the tea leaves and tarot cards of Kremlinology kept Washington pundits busy. Nowadays the game is Change-ology. The website...
Dramatic shift to progressive bioethics under Obama likely
Moreno and Charo appointed to transition teamUnder President Barack Obama there will be a dramatic shift toward progressive bioethics, judging from appointments to his transition...
Iran a big spender on stem cell research
Backed up by liberal legislation Iran plans to invest US$2.5 billion in stem cell research over the next five years. "Stem cell research centers will...
Questions linger over IVF safety, says Nature Medicine
Largely based on epidemiological evidence Although IVF is becoming increasingly common, with about 1% of births in the US coming through IVF and as many...
Down syndrome victory in US Congress
Bipartisan inspired by work of Brian Skotko The American pro-life lobby scored a rare victory in Washington recently with the passage of Kennedy-Brownback disability diagnosis...
British teen refuses heart transplant
"I'm going to die, but I also know what's best for me."A British hospital has given up its attempt to force a 13-year-old girl to...
Bioethics advice for the White House?
White House chief of staff’s brother When President Barack Obama looks for advice on bioethics, he won’t have far to go. His newly-appointed White House...
Some Australian MPs back abortion as cost-saver
Eugenics alive and well Down Under Eugenics is alive and well amongst Australian reproductive health lobbyists, it seems. Sleuthing by journalist Angela Shanahan, of The...
Amputate healthy legs if patients don’t want them, says psychiatrist
Inspired by analysis of Julian Savulescu A Sydney University psychiatrist has argued that surgeons should be allowed to amputate healthy legs if a patient is...
Some Washington hospitals resist assisted suicide
In the wake of the election day referendum Some hospitals in the American state of Washington have declared that they will not allow assisted suicide,...