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A Knee-Jerk Reaction?
An article was published in Science on Friday (8 February 2008) reporting the results of a study on the generation of energy via an ‘energy harvester’ mounted on the human knee. The authors of the article begin by noting that humans are a rich source of energy. Indeed it seems that the average person stores…
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Preventing birth to teenage parents is discriminatory
When we make decisions about which future persons will live – children to teenage parents, or children with disability, the types of objections cited above can be expressed. If we think that such objections are convincing, we should not try to prevent the birth of individuals with disability, nor children to teenage parents.
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Fluoride and the Future: Population Level Cognitive Enhancement
Health Secretary Alan Johnson wants to fluoride to be added to England’s water supplies to tackle tooth decay. He wants health authorities to compel water companies to add the chemical.
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Corrupted Science. Peer reviewer leaks information to drug manufacturer
A well-known diabetes expert has abused his function as peer reviewer for the renowned The New England Journal of Medicine. The reviewer broke confidentiality and leaked a damaging report about a substantial hike in the risk of heart attack when using the popular diabetes drug rosiglitazone, sold under the brand name Avandia, to the drug’s…
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A child of many parents: a new way to have two mothers
The Guardian and Telegraph, are today reporting that British scientists have created ten human embryos which each include DNA from one man and two women. This was done by taking a one day old IVF embryo and removing its pronuclei (the parts containing the chromosomes from the parents). These were then inserted into an egg…
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The Daily Mail reports on a helmet that supposedly ‘could reverse the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease within weeks of being used’. The helmet uses near infrared light, which can penetrate the skull of patients. According to the Mail: Its creators believe it could reverse the symptoms of dementia – such as memory loss and anxiety…
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Meet Mom, Mom and Mom: is there anything wrong with same-sex genetic parents?
The Daily Mail reports on a New Scientist article about the possibilities of same-sex reproduction. Researchers at Newcastle upon Tyne have coaxed stem cells in male bone marrow to developing into spermatogonia, which in turn have been coaxed to divide into sperm cells. According to New Scientist they may have succeeded in producing spermatogonia from…
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Hybrid Embryos and Dying Children
The BBC yesterday reported that the government is looking into calls to remove the ban on creating human-animal hybrid embryos using cells from dying children. As things stand the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill being considered in parliament would forbid such research without the consent of the child. In a letter to health minister…
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The bread of life: should we enhance our food?
However it is likely in the not-too-distant future that we will be able to identify dietary supplements that enhance our health and not just prevent disease. If we take the wellbeing of members of our community seriously there is good reason to make these widely available.
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Funding cuts for homoeopathy
The Guardian, Times and BBC are today reporting that National Heath Service funding for homoeopathy is on the decline. A survey conducted by Pulse has found that only 37% percent of the UK’s primary care trusts are still funding homoeopathy services, with more than 25% having reduced funding to homoeopathy in the last two years.…