http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-03/popsci-qampa-john-amory-has-been-developing-male-contraceptive-15-years
This article discusses the implications of developing a male contraceptive. Doctor John Armory of the University of Washington has spent the last 15 years attempting to develop a male contraceptive device in the form of a birth control pill. The reason he says it is taking so long is because while a female only produces a single egg in a month, males produce thousands of sperm every second. The basis behind the pill is simply using testosterone to shut down the production of endorphins in the brain that tell the body to produce sperm cells. There is also a mtethod of using proteins that prevent the sperm from swimming as well as controlling the body's production of Vitamin A which gets converted to a type of acid needed for sperm production.
What are the social and/or ethical issues in such a device for men? Will it's popularity be mired or will it ultimately find use among all of the common population?
Monday, April 2, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
"Ashley Treatment" for Disabled - Sam Wells
Link: http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/9985
Summary: This article talks about a treatment many people have tried that is known as the "Ashley Treatment." It is a combination of surgery and medication to “freeze-frame” a child by stunting its growth so that he or she will never grow beyond the size of a six or seven-year-old. The treatment radically alters a person’s body without their consent but is said to improve a disabled persons quality of life.
Who has the right to decide if a disabled child should get the treatment if they cannot decide for themselves? Is it automatically the parents choice?
Link: http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/9985
Summary: This article talks about a treatment many people have tried that is known as the "Ashley Treatment." It is a combination of surgery and medication to “freeze-frame” a child by stunting its growth so that he or she will never grow beyond the size of a six or seven-year-old. The treatment radically alters a person’s body without their consent but is said to improve a disabled persons quality of life.
Who has the right to decide if a disabled child should get the treatment if they cannot decide for themselves? Is it automatically the parents choice?
Organ Donation Controversies - Sam Wells
Link: http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10002
Summary: This article talks about when it should be allowed, exactly, to begin an organ transplant. Organs can only be taken out of a patient after they are declared dead and cannot be revived. Once they are pronounced dead the machines keep blood flowing to keep the organs alive and fresh for a transplant. The question is how long should doctors and transplant teams have to wait to be sure the patient is 100% dead and unable to be revived?
If the stop of blood flow means the person is dead, what does it mean for them when it starts again because of the machine? How can doctors be sure the patient is fully dead and still not wait too long that the organs cant be transplanted? what is more important, the small potential for life of a patient or the guaranteed life of the healthy organ recipient?
Link: http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10002
Summary: This article talks about when it should be allowed, exactly, to begin an organ transplant. Organs can only be taken out of a patient after they are declared dead and cannot be revived. Once they are pronounced dead the machines keep blood flowing to keep the organs alive and fresh for a transplant. The question is how long should doctors and transplant teams have to wait to be sure the patient is 100% dead and unable to be revived?
If the stop of blood flow means the person is dead, what does it mean for them when it starts again because of the machine? How can doctors be sure the patient is fully dead and still not wait too long that the organs cant be transplanted? what is more important, the small potential for life of a patient or the guaranteed life of the healthy organ recipient?
Many young cancer patients don't discuss fertility
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/26/many-young-cancer-patients-dont-discuss-fertility/
Summary: Many women aged 40 or younger who have been diagnosed with cancer were not told by their doctors of the possibility of embryo and egg-freezing procedures. Because doctors do not always discuss this procedure with their patients, the patients may lose the opportunity to have children in the future. Egg-freezing may not always be covered by insurance and can cost from about $8,000 to $24,000.
Question: Even though egg freezing may not be covered by insurance, should doctors be obligated to discuss this procedure with their patients? If a doctor does not discuss this, should a patient be eligible to sue his or her doctor?
Summary: Many women aged 40 or younger who have been diagnosed with cancer were not told by their doctors of the possibility of embryo and egg-freezing procedures. Because doctors do not always discuss this procedure with their patients, the patients may lose the opportunity to have children in the future. Egg-freezing may not always be covered by insurance and can cost from about $8,000 to $24,000.
Question: Even though egg freezing may not be covered by insurance, should doctors be obligated to discuss this procedure with their patients? If a doctor does not discuss this, should a patient be eligible to sue his or her doctor?
The Human Voice, as Game Change
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/technology/nuance-communications-wants-a-world-of-voice-recognition.html?pagewanted=1&ref=technology
Summary: Humans speaking to one another has been the main source of communication since the beginning of mankind. However, as technology advances, companies, such as Nuance Communications, are trying to create a "world of voice recognition." Nuance Communications is a leading force in voice technology and are planning for a voice enabled future. Technology such as phones and cars already have voice detection but the company is now working on bringing responses from appliances such as refrigerators, coffee makers, and televisions.
Question: What is your opinion on voice technology? Is it unnecessary or is it beneficial to society? Are humans becoming overly dependent on technology?
Question: What is your opinion on voice technology? Is it unnecessary or is it beneficial to society? Are humans becoming overly dependent on technology?
A Struggle to define "death" for organ donors
Scientist and Researchers have a controversy over figuring out a definition for death for possible organ donation. Scientist has defined death as brain dead meaning no brain activity whatsoever. But now their is a new addition discovery of definition to death which is cardiac and circulatory death. When the heart or circulatory system is not working and family of doctors assume that their is no help, they arguing the issue that it is ok to put them on the organ donors list but they do not know for sure if they are completely dead or If their is a chance for revival but still put them on a list for a possible donor.
-What do you think or consider as a definition of dead?
- Do you think it is right to put someone on the organ donors list as a possible donor without an actual diagnostic tes
http://m.npr.org/story/149463045?url=/blogs/health/2012/03/27/149463045/a-struggle-to-define-death-for-organ-donors
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A02EFD61230F93AA15752C1A9679D8B63&ref=geneticengineering
HIV Cure?
There is medical research in hopes for aids. The first step is to cure H.I.V., and a man has successfully done so by a specific bone marrow transplant. However, more recently, a man has gone through a much simpler gene therapy. However, this was not a cure but briefly controlled the H.I.V.
Question:
Should this gene therapy be used to control the H.I.V but have to go in regularly like dialysis, or should patients have to go though a bone marrow transplant?
HIV Cure?
There is medical research in hopes for aids. The first step is to cure H.I.V., and a man has successfully done so by a specific bone marrow transplant. However, more recently, a man has gone through a much simpler gene therapy. However, this was not a cure but briefly controlled the H.I.V.
Question:
Should this gene therapy be used to control the H.I.V but have to go in regularly like dialysis, or should patients have to go though a bone marrow transplant?
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