4. Ethical and Social Concerns Arising Out of Biotechnology
| Date | Source | Title | Summary | Other Categories |
| 07.2001 | Nature Biotech | Real and metaphorical moral limits in the biotech debate | The author argues that the regulatory and public debate over biotechnology centred on the question of whether it mattered what process was used to develop a product; the same issue now governs the ethical debate, and needs some resolution before biotechnology can move forward. | |
| 07.2001 | Nature Genetics | Protecting individuals and promoting science | Two leading administrators have recently commented on the use and availability of information from medical research and practice. Both agree that clear legislation is needed to tell doctors just what the law allows in medical database disclosure. | 48. Privacy, 52. Genetic Banks and Databases |
| 07.12.2001 | Washington Post | Human Embryos Created at U.S. Clinic Solely for Research | American scientists have defiantly stepped onto a brand new ethical ledge, creating more than 100 human embryos for the sole purpose of using them in a medical experiment. In Canada, draft legislation now before a federal standing committee would prohibit anyone in this country from creating human embryos that would be destroyed for research. | 39. General Issues about Research |
| 06.08.2001 | Science | German Leaders Spar Over Bioethics | An intense debate over the ethics of embryo and genetic research is emerging in Germany, stepping up the pressure on a new federal bioethics council that was scheduled to hold its first meeting on 8 June. | 31. Stem Cells |
| 05.13.2001 | BioNews (UK) | Babies Born with Three 'Parents' | Scientists have announced that babies have been born carrying the DNA of 3 parents, one paternal and two maternal. The additional set of maternal DNA originates from the mitochondrial DNA from cytoplasm inserted into the area surrounding the nucleus of the egg. This technique is banned in many countries due to ethical and moral concerns. | |
| 05.10.2001 | Nature | An End to Procrastination? | The German position on human embryonic stem-cell research comes under review as the main grant-giving agency considers relaxing its stringent regulations at the same time as the government prepares to set up a national ethics council to advise government on issues relating to ethics. | 31. Stem Cells |
| 04.29.2001 | Washington Post | Britain Moves to Ban Insurance Gene Tests | Britain's government has tentatively endorsed a ban on genetic testing by insurance companies, hoping to prevent the emergence of a "genetic underclass" of people unable to buy health or life insurance. | 32. Genome Project and Genomics |
| 04.12.2001 | BBC News | Organs for operations deal | The New England Medical Center, in Boston, is encouraging people to donate their kidneys to strangers by promising early operations for their relatives as a reward. The hospital is though to be the first to offer this sort of incentive to cut waiting lists. | 30. Xenotransplantation, 38. Medical and Pharmaceutical Innovation |
| 03.2001 | Nature Medicine | Legal Issues in Genomic Medicine | Genomic information has led to a variety of advancements in science and promises to offer more. As we consider the possibilities, we forget to consider the consequences. The law and legislation should govern genomics development by reflecting ethical concerns. | 32. Genome Project and Genomics |
| 03.14.2001 | Globe and Mail | Robots, genetics pose grave danger: scientist | The co-founder of Sun Microsystems and developer of Java and Unix has warned that science is developing at a rate that will leave humans forced into extinction by supersmart machines. Mr. Joy fears robotics, genetics, and nanotechnology represent an “evil whose possibility spreads well beyond… weapons of mass-destruction”. | |
| 03.2001 | Nature Reviews Genetics | Ethical and legal implications of pharmacogenomics | Legal and ethical issues are shaping the future of research studies, clinical trials and drug pricing as genomics technology becomes increasingly important in the development of drugs. | 16. Economics and Biotechnology, 32. Genome Project and Genomcis |
| 04.06.2001 | BBC News | Frankenstein fears after head transplant | A controversial operation to transplant the whole head of a monkey onto a different body has proved a partial success. Professor Robert White, from Cleveland Ohio, transplanted a whole monkey's head onto another monkey's body, and the animal survived for some time after the operation. He believes the operation is the next step in the transplant world especially to treat people paralysed and unable to use their limbs, and whose bodies, rather than their brains, were diseased. | |
| 04.03.2001 | BBC News | Genetic test 'moratorium' call | MPs are calling for the use of genetic tests by UK insurers to be suspended for at least two years. The Commons Science and Technology Committee want a voluntary ban by the industry on using positive results from tests, which, it is feared, could increase premiums. If the insurance industry is unwilling to implement the moratorium itself, the MPs are calling on the government to enforce a ban via legislation. | |
| 03.30.2001 | BBC News | An oath for scientists? | British scientist Sir John Sulston has called for a scientific equivalent of the Hippocratic oath. Any scientist who signed up to the code would have to promise, among other things, "to cause no harm and to be wholly truthful in their public pronouncements". | 39. General Issues about Research |
| 03.09.2001 | BBC News | Human cloning: The 'terrible odds' | Ethicist Dr Donald Bruce explains why many people oppose the idea of using cloning technology to help childless couples have a baby. He argues that it is criminally irresponsible to attempt a technique on humans which is known frequently to cause deformities, large fetuses and premature deaths in sheep and cattle. There are also unknown and undesirable psychological harms that the precautionary principle suggests we should not run. | 33. Cloning |
| 03.09.2001 | BBC News | Doctors defiant on cloning | Doctors, Severino Antinori and Panayiotis Zavos, said they intended to push ahead with their plans to clone human beings, despite the objections and doubts raised by religious and scientific groups. | 33. Cloning |
| 03.08.2001 | Nature | Survey shows public concern over biology | A survey by the government-funded Human Genetics Commission has revealed that 70% of the UK population has "little or no confidence" that regulations can keep track with and control new research in biology. The survey also found widespread concern over the use of genetic information by insurance companies and its retention by the police. | 32. Genome Project and Genomics |
| 03.02.2001 | BBC News | 'Ethnic divide' over gene research | Attitudes to genetic research can be affected by an individual's age, sex and ethnic origin, according to an opinion poll conducted the British government's Human Genetics Commission. According to the poll, women and people from an Asian background were more likely to believe that research into human genetics was unethical, and older people were more likely to have faith in regulations governing genetic research. Some statistical numbers are provided in this article. | 32. Genome Project and Genomics, 39. General Issues about Research |
| 02.23.2001 | BBC News | Parents 'misled over gene disorders' | Some parents are given misleading information when they are first informed that their unborn child has a sex chromosome disorder, researchers say. Some women may be deciding to have abortions on the back of the misleading advice. | |
| 02.20.2001 | BBC News | Biotechnology in the front line | Military and health experts at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) say that the completion of the human genome project, and developments in our understanding of diseases like anthrax and botulism, will help in developing tests and vaccines that will protect society against bioterrorist attacks - as well as natural epidemics. Also argued was that the increased risk of bioweapon attacks suggested the need for new measures under international law to bring individuals suspected of bioterrorism to trial. | |
| 02.15.2001 | Nature | Talking about the genome | An interesting article, from a sociological perspective, on how the language we used in genetics and the genome project at times limits and distorts our own understanding, and the public understanding. Particularely, this sloppy language is not merely shorthand, scientists talking among themselves. Rather scientists talk to the media, then the media talk to the public. Public misinformation, it is argued, is largely and in origin the fault of scientists themselves whose phrases do a "violence to our understanding". | 32. Genome Project and Genomics |
| 02.15.2001 | Nature | Human genomes public and private | [Opinion] Nature publishes the genomic data from the public consortium, and related results, freely available to all without restriction at http://www.nature.com and on pages 814–958. This article goes on to discuss the nature of public access to the human genomic data and the policy of Nature regarding publication of scientific information, generally, and the interface between commercial and academic interests in this access. | 32. Genome Project and Genomics |
| 02.01.2001 | Nature | Ethics watchdog to oversee drugs trials in Third World | [U.S.] The Office of International Activities, to be located within the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), will oversee, but not regulate, federally funded trials in developing countries and provide ethical guidance. | |
| 01.30.2001 | BBC News | Cloned human planned 'by 2003' | A private consortium of scientists plans to clone a human being within the next two years. The group says it will use the technique only for helping infertile couples with no other opportunity to become parents. | 33. Cloning |
| 01.25.2001 | BBC News | "'Science in crisis' warns Labour peer" | Lord Winston, speaking to the biotechnology industry, has warned of what he perceives as an "international crisis in science," brought about by irresponsible protesters, the media, and even fellow scientists. He said the growing suspicion of science in Britain was putting the nation's economic growth in jeopardy. | 16. Economics and Biotechnology |
| 01.2001 | Nature Biotech | EC study reveals an informed public | A European Commission-funded study of Public Perceptions of Agricultural Biotechnology in Europe (PABE) will be published this month. It finds that the public's reaction to GMOs has been influenced by the misassumption—on the parts of not only regulatory authorities, scientists, and industry, but also non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—that the public needs to be educated, rather than consulted. Emphasis ought to be on the public's control over the trajectory of technology and not its mere knowledge. | 29. Genetically Modified Food/Crops, 30. Xenotransplantation |
| 01.2001 | Nature Biotech | EPA re-evaluates StarLink license | A summary of the incidents surrounding the Starlink contamination in the food supply (November 2000) and the more recent US regulatory struggles (in December 2000) with a request from Aventis CropScience to permit limited human consumption of its StarLink corn. | 29. Genetically Modified Food/Crops |
| 01.12.2001 | BBC News | GM monkeys will 'not replace mice' | Scientists have genetically engineered a monkey, the closest relative yet to humans to have its "life code" altered in the laboratory; however, they maintain GM monkeys are unlikely to change the practices in UK labs. Moreover, ethical questions still surround the use of these primates in many scientific studies. | 50. Gene Therapy |
| 01.12.2001 | Yahoo!News (Reuters) | Genetic Advances Spark Fears of Science Gone Awry | Using the genetically modified monkey as the starting point of the discussion, this article explores some concerns regarding scientific advances. | 39. General Issues about Scientific Research, 50. Gene Therapy |
| 01.11.2001 | BBC News | Modified monkey poses questions | BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse considers some of the ethical arguments that are raised by the first GM monkey in this article. Background of the research team that produced the animal is also provided. | 50. Gene Therapy |
| 01.04.2001 | Nature | British BSE committee opens up to the public | A recent public enquiry into the BSE epidemic found that a culture of secrecy had contributed to its spread (see Nature 408 , 3–5; 2000). To help regain public confidence, advisors to the UK government are pushing to have some of their sessions made public—for the first time. Sessions involving commercial or patient confidentiality will remain closed. | 26. BSE |
| 12.2000 | Nature Genetics | Who owns plant genetics? | This article examines the obstacles in the way of exploiting plant genetics to the needs of poor countries. Particularly, the extensive licensing rights that constrain the development and use of agbiotech are explored in some detail in this article. Initiatives currently underway to further the beneficial exploitation of agbiotech for poor countries are also discussed with respect to both private and public institutions. There is also some limited mention of the Plant Genome Project. | 16.Economics and Biotechnology, 19. General Patent and Biotechnology Information, 32. Genome Project |
| 12.2000 | Nature Biotech | GMO roundup | The five defendants charged with criminal damage for removing an Aventis GM oilseed rape crop from a field in the North of England used Arpad Pusztai's research, "peer-reviewed and published in The Lancet" as part of their defense in their trial in mid-November. They argued that if they had not destroyed the crop it was likely that personal injury or death would have almost certainly resulted. Pusztai's paper was used as "proof of the dangers caused by GM contaminated foods." | 29. GMOs |
| 12.2000 | Nature Biotech | Avoiding Frankendrugs | Lessons learned from the public backlash on agbiotech experience and discussion on how to prevent a similar fate for health biotech. Most important among the preventative measures is the need to engage the public early on with education and an opportunity for deliberation. Examples of successful dialogue between industry and public, as well as current attempts to solicit public participation are briefly described. | 16. Economics and Biotechnology |
| 12.02.2000 | Washington Post | Ignorance Undercuts Gene Tests' Potential | In an increasing number of cases, doctors aren't correctly interpreting genetic test results and aren't counseling patients as to their impact. | 50. Gene Therapy |
| 12.02.2000 | Washington Post | With Doctors, There's No Telling the Future | Doctors don't like giving patients the results of genetic testing and are sometimes overly optimistic as to the impact of those results on their patients. | 50. Gene Therapy |
| 11.30.2000 | Nature | British public doubts genetics rules | Nearly three-quarters of British people think that government regulation has not kept up with human genetics research, according to a survey released by the UK Human Genetics Commission. Results on other genetic-related questions in the survey also available here. | 39. General Issues about Research |
| 11.10.2000 | Science | Genetic Testing: Families Sue Hospital, Scientist for Control of Canavan Gene | A lawsuit filed on 30 October in Chicago federal court is the latest dispute in the growing controversy over who controls and who benefits from human genetics research. | 39. General Issues about Scientific Research, 50. Gene Therapy |
| 11.10.2000 | Science | Clinical Trials: Company, Researchers Battle Over Data Access | A potential legal dispute over access to AIDS-related research data once again raises the issue of who controls the data when corporate and academic interests conflict. | 39. General Issues about Scientific Research |
| 11.03.2000 | Science | INDIA: New Guidelines Promise Stronger Bioethics | The Indian government has issued new guidelines for conducting medical research on humans that would raise standards and tighten oversight at most institutions. The voluntary guidelines, released on 18 October, are also expected to bolster international collaborations by putting Indian practices on a par with standards in the West. | |
| 10.13.2000 | UK Telegraph | Rights Act invoked to pick baby's sex | A couple whose daughter died in a bonfire accident plan to use human rights legislation (the European Convention on Human Rights) introduced in Britain last week in their fight to choose the sex of their baby. The claim is base primarily on article six of the convention, which guarantees a "fair hearing" from public authorities, and article eight, which enshrines an individual's right to "respect for family life". | |
| 10.12.2000 | BBC News | Genetic test first for UK | The UK government will announce on Friday (13 October 2000) that insurers will be able to use non-compulsive genetic test results that identifies Huntington's chorea to refuse cover or to push up premiums for those born with genes that could lead to fatal conditions. The decision makes Britain the first country to approve the commercial use of gene technology in this way. | 9. Issue based Economic Analysis and Commentary |
| 10.11.2000 | NY Times | Caught in Headlights of the Biotech Debate | The article reviews Genetics ID, a company doing DNA testing to identify genetically modified foods. Issues surrounding GM foods and their testing and labeling are raised. | 29. Genetically
Modified Food/Crops |
| Le Monde | Généticiens et biologistes sur la piste de l'immortalité | Work on a worm brought a beginning of checking the genetic and biochemical theories on the mechanisms of ageing and death. But the secrecies of longevity in mammals and, especially, man will still require a long search. [Ethical discussion on genetics included]. | ||
| Nature | Novartis pins hopes for GM seeds on new marker system | The multinational company Novartis Seeds [August 2000]launched a campaign to gain worldwide support from the plant-science community for its new marker-gene system, Positech. The campaign follows the company's recent announcement that it plans to phase out antibiotic-resistance marker genes in its future products, in an attempt to restore public confidence in the safety of genetically modified foodstuffs. The move comes on the heels of concerns that antibiotic resistance genes could 'jump' from transgenic plants to microorganisms such as gut bacteria, increasing antibiotic resistance in humans. Basic researchers, who can use 'Positech' without royalties, have welcomed the launch stating that the availability of less controversial marker genes would improve the acceptance of research, and "cool down" the public debate. Some enviormental groups, however, are more cynical about this news. | 29.Genetically Modified Food/Crops |