Men Need Not Apply ---

NPR's All Things Considered contemplates the creation of sperm in the laboratory from stem cells, the shrinking Y chromosome, and societal changes in a series called "The End of Men?" Considering the growing gender imbalances due to selective abortions as mentioned earlier in this blog, I doubt that men will become an endangered sex (well, any more than they already are) any time soon. -- Linda Glenn

Murder and Mental Illness: Yates' Conviction Overturned

A Texas appellate court overturned the conviction of Andrea Yates, who stood trial in 2002 for the murder of her five children. The conviction of Yates brought into the public spotlight the inadequacy of the law, particularly criminal law, in the way that it treats mentally ill individuals. The law doesn’t address the issue of whether an individual is “in control.” The question of innocence or guilt is phrased in such a way that defendants are “not guilty by reason of insanity” if at the time of the conduct they lacked the ability to know the wrongfulness of their action. Andrea Yates, who drowned her five children, was found guilty under this rule because even though the defense and prosecution agreed Yates was mentally ill, the court instructed the jurors that if they found that she knew right from wrong and knew that her conduct was wrong, she was guilty. Yet, most bystanders could clearly see that this was someone in emotional chaos and out of control. This case has been of particular interest in the field of neuroethics because the hope is that new techniques in brain imaging and other technologies might soon give us better diagnostic evaluation or therapeutic effectiveness, so that we can successfully treat individuals like Yates. It is important to note that better assessment is not about freeing individuals from responsibility for their actions, but it can, perhaps, help us determine whether an individual is capable of controlling his or her conduct and therefore help us achieve a more appropriate, humane, and fair outcome. The appellate overturned the conviction on the grounds that the false testimony an expert prosecution witness, Dr. Park Dietz, provided could have unfairly affected the judgment of the jury. The prosecution plans to appeal the decision to Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and have not ruled out a retrial if they lose the appeal. The appellate court's decision can be read at FindLaw. -- Linda Glenn

A Measure of a Mind

The Washington Post reports that meditation can charge the mind according to neuroscientist Richard Davidson, of the W.M. Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior. Using EEGs and functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI) on to measure brain activity in meditating monks, Davidson found intense gamma wave activity, connected to higher mental activity and heightened awareness. This is consistent with Davison's earlier work that identified the left prefrontal cortex as a brain region associated with happiness and positive thoughts and emotions. He concludes from his research that meditation not only changes the short-term workings of the brain, but could also produce permanent changes. - Linda Glenn

All In The Family

A 55 year old woman gave birth to her three grandchildren, the Washington Post reports today. The woman had offered to be a surrogate for her grandchildren when her own daughter had tried unsuccessfully for several years to become pregnant through in vitro fertilization. Ethicists' opinions on the surrogacy arrangement were varied. For more info, read on: [link] -- Linda Glenn

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Rick Weiss of the Washington Post reports today that the FDA has approved a proposal to test the illegal street drug "Ecstasy" for treatment of severe anxiety in terminally ill patients. Ecstasy, also known as MDMA or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is currently being tested for its ability to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychiatrists refer to the drug as an "empathogen" helping to put people in touch with their emotions. Researchers at Harvard, who obtained permission from ethics review boards at Harvard and Lahey Clinic, to submit this proposal, believe that this drug could contribute significantly to the range of palliative care strategies available to patients who must face the emotional challenge of the end of their lives.[Link] - Linda Glenn.

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

Guest Blogger Linda Glenn

New to the bioethics.net blogosphere is Linda MacDonald Glenn. She's great and an old friend. Here's some info on her:

LINDA MACDONALD GLENN, JD, LLM (Biomedical Ethics, McGill) is a bioethicist, attorney, educator and consultant. Formerly a fellow with the Institute of Ethics with the American Medical Association, her research encompasses the legal, ethical, and social impact of emerging technologies and evolving notions of personhood. Prior to returning to an academic setting, she consulted and practiced as a trial attorney with an emphasis in patient advocacy, bioethical and biotechnology issues, end of life decision-making, reproductive rights, genetics, parental/biological "nature vs. nurture", and animal rights issues; she was the lead attorney in several "cutting edge" bioethics legal cases. She has advised governmental leaders and agencies, and published numerous articles in professional journals. She has taught at the University Of Vermont School Of Nursing, the Medical College of Wisconsin, the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School and the University of Health Sciences Antigua, and has addressed public and professional groups internationally. Her extensive experience and passion for the issues facing the legal, nursing, and healthcare professions make her a compelling and thought-provoking lecturer. More about her background can be seen here.