Bioethics.net

December 11, 2018 9:15 am

The CRISPR Baby Scandal Gets Worse by the Day (The Atlantic)

Before last week, few people had heard the name He Jiankui. But on November 25, the young Chinese researcher became the center of a global firestorm when it emerged that he had allegedly made the first crispr-edited babies, twin girls named Lulu and Nana. Antonio Regalado broke the story for MIT Technology Review, and He himself described the experiment at an international gene-editing summit in Hong Kong. After his talk, He revealed that another early pregnancy is under way.

It is still unclear if He did what he claims to have done. Nonetheless, the reaction was swift and negative. The crispr pioneer Jennifer Doudna says she was “horrified,” NIH Director Francis Collins said the experiment was “profoundly disturbing,” and even Julian Savulescu, an ethicist who has described gene-editing research as “a moral necessity,” described He’s work as “monstrous.”

December 8, 2018 10:15 am

Microsoft calls for laws to prevent facial recognition AI from hurting consumers (The LA Times)

December 5, 2018 9:15 am

Genetically Modified People Are Walking Among Us (The New York Times)

It felt as if humanity had crossed an important line: In China, a scientist named He Jiankui announced on Monday that twins had been born in November with a gene that he had edited when they were embryos.

But in some ways this news is not new at all. A few genetically modified people already walk among us.

December 3, 2018 9:00 am

Watching My Patient Die, Remotely (The New York Times)

As more and more hospitals have adopted electronic medical records, their records have become linked and you can follow your patients, virtually, hundreds of miles away.

November 12, 2018 9:00 am

A systematic literature review of individuals’ perspectives on privacy and genetic information in the United States (PLOS)

The picture of genetic privacy that emerges from this systematic literature review is complex and riddled with gaps. When asked specifically “are you worried about genetic privacy,” the general public, patients, and professionals frequently said yes. In many cases, however, that question was posed poorly or only in the most general terms. While many participants expressed concern that genomic and medical information would be revealed to others, respondents frequently seemed to conflate privacy, confidentiality, control, and security. People varied widely in how much control they wanted over the use of data.

October 25, 2018 9:00 am

Scientists argue heart stem cell trial should be paused (The Washington Post)

Sick people should not be subjected to the risks of an experiment whose underlying science has been called into question.

October 12, 2018 9:00 am

The approach to predictive medicine that is taking genomics research by storm (Nature)

October 10, 2018 9:00 am

That New Apple Watch EKG Feature? There Are More Downs Than Ups (The New York Times)

The heart monitor should not be considered a medical device and reflects wider problems with health screens.

September 19, 2018 2:00 am

A plan to advance AI by exploring the minds of children (MIT Technology Review)

The project brings computer scientists and engineers together with neuroscientists and cognitive psychologists to explore research that might lead to fundamental progress in artificial intelligence. Tenenbaum outlined the project, and his vision for advancing AI, at EmTech, a conference held at MIT this week by MIT Technology Review.

September 18, 2018 9:00 am

AI may detect depression just from your voice (Axios)

During a conversation, humans can grasp a friend’s mood or intent by relying on subtle vocal cues or word choice. Now, researchers at MIT say they have developed an algorithm that can detect if the friend is depressed, one of the most widely suffered — and often undiagnosed — conditions in the U.S.