Category: Biotechnology
Should we edit the genomes of human embryos?
Surveys show that the public are optimistic about genome editing for curing diseases, but there can also be a lack of trust about how this technology will be used.
Fight over fetal tissue research heats up
The Trump administration faces mounting pressure from conservative lawmakers and abortion opponents to halt the use of tissue obtained from aborted fetuses.
Why life insurance companies want your Fitbit data
Insurers could use these apps to track all the activities you do while wearing the smartwatch, including steps walked, heart rate, even when you’re having sex.
Older Adults Have High Interest in Genetic Testing — and Some Reservations
More than 1 in 10 have had genetic tests ordered by a doctor or ordered them directly, a new survey finds. Others say they’re interested, but many have concerns.
Courts forcing states to provide costly hepatitis C treatment
Courts have ruled states cannot withhold potentially life-saving but expensive medications from Medicaid beneficiaries and prison inmates who have hepatitis C.
Medical center’s cozy deal with start-up ignites new uproar
The center’s pathologists have objected to the deal, saying it is unfair that the founders received equity that relies on the pathologists’ expertise and work
How biobanks can gain patient trust
Universities that sell access to their biobanks to private companies should tell patients and be transparent about how profits are used, a new survey shows.
Gene-editing technique CRISPR identifies dangerous breast cancer mutations
CRISPR was used to introduce mutations into cells that see what effects these mutations have on the cell.
Is ‘Precision Medicine’ The Answer To Cancer? Not Precisely.
Doctors and hospitals love to talk about patients saved with precision medicine, and reporters love to write about them, but success is, in fact, rare.
The Man Who Sold America On Vitamin D — And Profited In The Process
The doctor most responsible for turning the sunshine supplement into a billion-dollar juggernaut has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the vitamin D industry, according to government records and interviews.
GOP Congressman Chris Collins Indicted On Insider Trading Charges
Prosecutors alleged that he used information he received while on the board of an biotechnology firm to tip off his son and others to sell stock before a damaging report.
Déjà Voodoo: Pharma’s Promises To Curb Drug Prices Have Been Heard Before
Drug company promises to contain prices are a familiar — and fleeting. In past, their vows to restrain prices last only as long as it is politically necessary.
Insurers slow to cover high-cost cancer immunotherapy
Most commercial insurers are covering CAR-T immunotherapies now, but they do so on an individual basis, writing single-patient agreements each time.
Genetically testing human embryos: what you need to know about the debate
Preimplantation genetic testing is widely used to increase the chance of having a healthy baby. Whether it should be performed at all, however, is hotly debated.
Having a scan? Here’s how the different types work and what they can find
Medical imaging — X-ray, CT, MRI, PET and ultrasound — explained.