Magnus Takes on Kitty Cloning

The Detroit Free Press reported that the first cloned-to-order pet, a kitten named Little Nicky, was delivered to a Texas woman about 2 weeks ago. The kitten, was cloned by a Sausolito company called Genetic Savings and Clone, for a mere $50,000. Little Nicky's owner had banked her deceased 17-year-old cat's DNA, which was used to create the clone. David Magnus was quoted: "It's morally problematic and a little reprehensible...For $50,000, she could have provided homes for a lot of strays." - Linda Glenn

The Stem Cell Debate is Dead

In this editorial in the San Jose Mercury News, David Magnus and Art Caplan argue that with the passing of California's prop. 71, it is long past time to stop worrying about the President's policies or the tired issue of whether ex vivo embryos are people. The new stem cell debate is going to be about when the science justifies moving to clinical trials, worries about the therapeutic misconception and conflicts of interest. I know I am not the only one who feels like i've gone back in time--substitute enthusiasm for stem cell research for gene therapy. We argue in this piece that we should learn some lessons from that experience.

Cell Hacking

Occasionally Popular Science magazine is really on top of a new phenomenon. This is one such moment. In their lengthy piece on the programming of bacteria, the mag covers virtually every issue associated with the creation of cell colonies from industrial-level programming - a highly controversial DARPA-funded program that is coming into its own. Magnus is quoted.

Cholesterol Guidelines Become Morality Play

An interesting piece the AP has out out that has appeared in many newspapers around the country discusses the huge conflicts of interest that exist between many of the leading physicians responsible for new guidelines on cholesterol. - David Magnus

Washington Post: Erasing Your Memory

Rob Stein asks what the problems would be with erasing traumatic memories. Magnus and Dresser are quoted.

Health Care System is Broken

This is a great start to a 5 part series that the SF Chronicle is running on the problems with the U.S. health care system. While (unfortunately) they don't turn to any of the bioethics folks who work in this area, there are a lot of good economists and health services researchers who weigh in and the piece is quite substantial--and very scary for anyone who has been trying hard not to think about the cliff we seem to be heading towards. CORRECTED: link was broken! - David Magnus

Prop 71/Stem Cell Conference in Los Altos

Proposition 71, on the Nov. 2 ballot, poses a quandary for California voters. The "California Stem Cells for Research and Cures Initiative" entails two major questions: Should the state of California assume additional debt through a constitutional amendment? Should the state of California fund contentious research and development in an area that has been typically carried by the federal government, biotech, big pharmaceutical companies and venture capital? Community Connections of Los Altos has scheduled two discussions with experts in the scientific and ethical communities so voters can be better informed. Henry T. (Hank) Greely, law professor at Stanford University, and Jennifer C. Lahl, the national director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, will discuss the ethical issues surrounding stem cell research 7-9 p.m., Oct. 17. The talks will be moderated by Los Altos Hills resident Tom Gutshall, CEO of Cephied. Both talks will be held at Main Street Cafe & Books, 134 Main St., Los Altos. - David Magnus