One of the hottest topics in the biomedical world in 2015 is heritable human genetic modification including via germ cells. There is an unsettling sense that genetically modified human germ cells and eventually GMO human beings are likely coming even if science and society are not ready for it. There are a hodgepodge of laws against human […]
Proposed Moratorium on Genetic Modification of Human Germ Cells Read More »
A question that has come up with advances in stem cell technology: could same-sex couples have their own biological children? Since Shinya Yamanaka reprogrammed first mouse and then human ordinary cells into powerful pluripotent stem cells, termed induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, back in 2006-2007 many new research avenues have opened up. The impossible suddenly
Are babies from same-sex couples possible? Read More »
How much do these stem cell treatments cost? Stem cell treatments of various kinds are now widely available in America at more than 100 stem cell clinics offering non-FDA approved interventions for dozens of conditions. American patients are often recruited on the Internet to travel around the US or to Mexico and other countries. How
How Much Do Stem Cell Treatments Really Cost? Read More »
The FDA mandate to regulate drugs and devices often invokes a term called “interstate commerce”. Like many people I thought I knew what that meant, but probably like most people I was wrong. After a great discussion on an original post on various key issues related to the many stem cell clinics doing non-FDA approved
There was a time I used to watch Countdown with Keith Olbermann on a regular basis and for a few years, I really enjoyed it. After a while I kind of lost interest. Today Olbermann does a sports show on ESPN and it’s just not the same. He also seems like he’s not the same
Keith Olbermann, the Dr. Oz of Sports? Read More »
The Texas stem cell clinic Celltex was one of the most controversial businesses in the world of stem cells in 2012 and 2013 (see here for background and as an update see this new post on how the Texas clinic has teamed up with a local university). The FDA essentially shut down the Celltex clinical
Arthritis Foundation Sell Out To Stem Cell Clinic Celltex? Read More »
Cloning of animals is becoming a big, global business, and Hwang Woo-Suk is a major player here. Hwang Woo-Suk and animal cloning It turns out that this reproductive cloning of animals goes well beyond making duplicates of pets for sentimental customers at $100,000 a copy. Cloning of livestock by agribusinesses is becoming fairly common. Some
Cloning Factory in China Has Familiar Partner: Hwang Woo-Suk Read More »
What was the biggest stem cell story of the year for 2014? Every year I post my view on what was the biggest stem cell event of the year. You can see picks for past years including human therapeutic cloning (production of nuclear transfer human ES cells) for 2013, the strangest stem cell story of
Stem Cell Story of The Year 2014 Poll Read More »
The list of stem cell journals seems to grow longer every day. In fact, the list is so long and some of the names kind of funny that it inspires coming up with a slew of satirical and nonsensical stem cell journals. I’m betting that some of these (the ones listed first) may be thought up
The nonsensical list of stem cell journals Read More »
What sparked the controversy “shirtgate”? A male scientist, Dr. Matt Taylor, who is a leader of the Rosetta comet space mission team wore a shirt covered with cartoon depictions of scantily clad women (you can click on picture of Taylor to see a larger version of the image) during a TV interview. Some people found
Weigh in on Shirtgate with Poll Read More »