Comments are written in text form together with recent references. This list continues from the last issue of EJAIBand will continue. The full list of news (OLD = 1991-1993; NEW = 1994+) is available on-line topic-by-topic, at: http://eubios.info/NBB.html
Comments are written in text form together with
recent references. This list continues from the last issue of
EJAIB and will continue. This list is available
on-line topic-by-topic, at:
http://eubios.info/NBB.html
Genetic Engineering of Plants
A review of ways to protect drought-stricken plants is Science 296 (2002), 1226-9. A case of a pest-resistant GM potato that became more sensitive to another sort of insect is discussed in NS (1 June 2002), 17. A dental vaccine against tooth decay has been produced in GM tobacco, AgraFood Biotech. 82 (4 June 2002), 6. German scientists have made hepatitis B vaccine in carrots, AgraFood Biotech. 81 (21 May 2002), 19. A tomato that contains three times the normal level of the antioxidant lycoprene has been made, AgraFood Biotech. 84 (2 July 2002), 20. Scientists at Purdue University are converting maize stover into ethanol using a new GM yeast, AgraFood Biotech. 84 (2 July 2002), 19. Biodiesel production is growing to almost 100m litres in 2002 in the USA, AgraFood Biotech. 81 (21 May 2002), 4. Biomass energy is discussed in Tomorrow (April 2002), 31-34. Engineering flax and hemp to be alternatives to cotton is reviewed in TIBTECH 20 (2002), 229-30. Transgenic trees may improve the efficiency of pulp production with less ecological effects, NatBio 20 (2002), 557-8; NS (8 June 2002), 15. Genetic Engineering of Animals Japanese researchers have achieved the full cycle for tuna breeding in a fish farm, the first time that artificial breeding has been achieved for the first time, Japan Times (6 July, 2002), 2. A gene silencing technology patent has been awarded to an Australian company, Nature 417 (2002), 779. A new technique for cloning genes into embryos, called TrazEmbryo, is discussed in GEN 22 (15 June 2002), 79. The use of knockout mice in drug studies is reviewed in Trends in Neurosciences 25 (2002), 277-8. A review on the plasticity of cells and potential for ES cell repair, base don animal studies is Science 296 (2002), 2126-9. Discussion of the expansion of mutant mice and the need to organize them is in Nature 417 (2002), 211, 785-6. Designer Molecules A paper on the implications of nanotechnology based on a genetics model is, Health Law Review 10 (2002), 9-15. A review of commercial proteomics research in the USA is Scrip Magazine (June 2002), 37-9. Biotechnology & the Public An interview and discussion with Francis Fukuyama on biotechnology is EuroBusiness (July 2002), 68-71. A book review of From Certainty to Uncertainty is NS (1 June 2002), 54. A new report from European Commission is, Public Perceptions of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Europe (www.pabe.net) summarizes the results from 55 focus groups in Europe and interviews with different members in society and it finds the general public can consider many issues of biotechnology well, Nature 417 (2002), 368. A New Zealand study on GM apples suggests that knowledge is linked to attitude, AgraFood Biotech. 82 (4 June 2002), 7. Ways to increase confidence of people in biotechnology are discussed in AgraFood Biotech. 83 (18 June 2002), 7. The Pontifical Academy of Sciences has endorsed use of GM crops, AgraFood Biotech. 82 (4 June 2002), 7. Regulation & Field Trials of GMOs Discussion of whether genes for drugs from pharmaceutical producing plants could leak into the food chain in the USA is in NS (6 July 2002), 3-5. The question of gene flow is discussed in NatBio 20 (2002), 527. Australian studies have suggested that large buffer zones around GM crops may not be necessary, AgraFood Biotech. 84 (2 July 2002), 5. However, Australia has allowed states to introduce GM free zones, AgraFood Biotech. 82 (4 June 2002), 14. Discussion of the alleged genetic contamination of Mexican maize by GMOs is in NS (15 June 2002), 14-7. Mexico may be relaxing its GM ban, NatBio 20 (2002), 416-7. Discussion of the scientific validity of UK field trials of herbicide tolerant crops is in AgraFood Biotech. 84 (2 July 2002), 6. The benefits of GM crops are debated in NS (22 June 2002), 11. India approved GM cotton for commercial use, NatBio 20 (2002), 415. China continues to grow GM cotton, AgraEurope (7 June 2002), N3-4. Discussion of Australian plans to kill off invasive carp by GM are discussed in NS (11 May 2002), 3, 6. Agribiotechnology in the Philippines is reviewed in Asian Biotechnology and Development Review (May 2002), 27-40. Different GM crops could be better suited to Europe, AgraFood Biotech. 84 (2 July 2002), 7; BioCentury (28 May 2002), A13. Discussion of whether GM crops will really feed the poor is in NS (15 June 2002), 3. A series of articles on the future of agricultural biotechnology and GM is NS (18 May 2002), 31-47. GM crops are said to help Egyptian agriculture according to a recent report, AgraFood Biotech. 82 (4 June 2002), 10. Law and bioterrorism, are discussed in JLME 30 (2002), 254-66. An Iraqi defector revealed a number of biowarfare sites in Iraq, The Times (12 July 2002), 17. There are claims that the US knows who is the anthrax killer in the USA, NS (22 June 2002), 12. A smallpox vaccination received in the 1970s will not protect most people against the disease, NS (1 June 2002), 7; Science 296 (2002), 1592-5. The USA may have enough vaccine soon to protect against smallpox, NatMed. 8 (2002), 428. Vaccinating all the US citizens may be more riskier than the risk of an outbreak, NS (29 June 2002), 11. A letter saying that the restriction of genomic sequence data will not stop bioterrorism is Nature 417 (2002), 379. The USA is attempting to develop a vaccine against Ebola because of terrorism fears, NS (25 May 2002), 17. In general on US bioterrorism plans, Nature 417 (2002), 773. Vaccines & Diseases Japan is still not able to trace the origin of its BSE outbreak. Israel has now reported confirmed a case of BSE, AgraEurope (7 June 2002), N/3.UK consumers were scared when it was announced in mid-July that beef powder had been added to chicken meat to boost the protein, The Guardian (8 July 2002), 1, G2. The role of SV40 in human cancer is discussed in Science 296 (2002), 1012-5. There is still debate over the safety of MMR vaccine, NS (22 June 2002), 5. The question of influenza vaccination for healthy children is discussed in Current Opinion Infectious Disease 15 (2002), 283-7. A report form the genetic engineering of mosquitoes with reduced ability to transmit the malaria parasite is Nature 417 (2002), 387-8, 452-5. A report from the completion of the Anopheles mosquito genome sequencing project is GEN 22 (15 May 2002), 6. Discussion from a FAO conferenc eon Tsetse fly is in NS (22 June 2002), 17. Combating antibiotic resistance is discussed in Food Chemical News (22 April 2002), 22-3. Inside Europe Greek doctors prescribe the most antibiotics, BMJ 324 (2002), 1236. Cholera appears to be strengthened by a trip through a gut, Science 296 (2002), 1783-4. Genetic mixing of indigenous human microbes is reviewed in NEJM 346 (2002), 2083-5. AIDS & Sexually Transmitted Diseases HIV/AIDS and professional freedom of expression in Japan is reported in Nursing Ethics 9 (2002), 432-8. A call for China to act now to curb the rapid rise in HIV is Science 296 (2002), 2339-40. In general on AIDS vaccines, Science 296 (2002), 2297-2326. There are hopes that AidsVax which is in phase III clinical trials in USA and Thailand may be effective, from the 14th International Aids Conference in Barcelona (July 2002). Another vaccine trial is being questioned in Thailand, NS (6 July 2002), 13. Pollution Remedies Bioremediating crude oil in a high salt environment has been achieved, Industrial Processing 24 (July 2002), 3. Environmental Issues The question of whether market forces will protect the environment is discussed in NS (6 July 2002), 10. a review is Berry, C. "The role of toxiciology in evaluating priorities in environmental health", Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 22 (Junne 2001), 277-80. Greenhouse gas pollution from rich countries may have stopped rain over Africa, NS (15 June 2002), 4-5. Global warming is expected to increase the number of infectious diseases for many animals, NS (29 June 2002), 22. Human disease may also affect African wildlife, NS (8 June 2002), 10. The increased ice around Antarctica is discussed in NS (1 June 2002), 6; J. GeoPhysical Research Oceans. Rain may be an important carbon sink factor, Science 296 (2002), 1787. UV-responses by plants are discussed in Trends in Plant Sciences 7 (June 2002), 241-2. Children of men who worked for 12 years or more at Sellafield have doubled risk of leukemia and lymphoma, NS (22 June 2002), 15. The UK had a secret plan to make more nuclear power plants, NS (6 July 2002), 14-5. The safety margins for tritium have been miscalculated, NS (1 June 2002), 8. An antismoking vaccine may help addicts, NS (22 June 2002), 4. Biodiversity A discussion of the plans to revive the Tasmanian Tiger by cloning is in Science 296 (2002), 1797. Linking marine biology to biotechnology is reviewed in Current Opinion in Biotechnology 13 (2002), 244-8. The collapsing fisheries of Africa are reviewed in NS (13 July 2002), 5; and in Europe fisheries scientists will set limits rather than politicians, NS (8 June 2002), 4. A recount of flowering plants has increased the estimate by 100,000 species, NS (29 June 2002), 11. Climate change is pushing the limits for many endangered plants, NS (1 June 2002), 19. Even small open spaces can cause risks of animals becoming extinct in the Amazon, NS (15 June 2002), 11. On comparative biology, Science 296 (2002), 1792-3. Animal Rights Some of the ethical issues of engineering animals are discussed in Reiss, M. "Engineering animals to order", Biologist 45 (1998), 161-3. A book review of Marks, J. What it means to be 98% Chimpanzee: Apes, people and their genes (University of California Press, 2002) is NS (8 June 2002), 50. Discussion of how animals feel virtues is in NS (13 July 2002), 34-7. A call for allowing some experiments on primates is made in Nature 417 (2002), 673. Discussion of whether animal experiments are less cruel if animals willingly cooperate is in NS (6 July 2002), 22. Discussion of a controversial cat study is in Nature 417 (2002), 778. Animal rights has been added to the German constitution, BioCentury (20 May 2002), A13. Research has shown that dolphins and whales contain such high levels of mercury that they are unsafe for humans to eat, whether or not they should be caught according to the IWC, NS (8 June 2002), 17. The IWC failed to reach agreements, NS (1 June 2002), 9. Safety of Recombinant DNA Products Altered peptide ligand therapy of MS is discussed in Science 296 (2002), 1801-2. Discussion of COX2 inhibitors is in BMJ 324 (2002), 1287-90. Biogeneric insulin is discusse d in BioCentury (20 May 2002), A6. Food safety Discussion of whether certain GM bacteria living in a person's gut could be good for their health is in NS (15 June 2002), 26-9. An Indian view of the biosafety regulatory regime in WTO is Asian Biotechnology and Development Review (May 2002), 41-64. The European Parliament compromise on GM labeling and traceability is reported in BioCentury (8 July 2002), A11. USDA policy on country of origin labeling is discussed in Food Chemical News (3 June 2002), 26. The definition of GM food is somewhat arbitrary, NS (6 July 2002), 32-6. There is opposition to GM coffee from major coffee chains, AgraFood Biotech. 81 (21 May 2002), 6. Reports from the US General Accounting Office, and from the American College of Nutrition, says there is no health risk from GM foods and FDA is doing a good job, AgraFood Biotech. 82 (4 June 2002), 2; 83 (18 June 2002), 4. Discussion on the safety of GM food is in NS (8 June 2002), 42-5. The environmental advantages of GM food are discussed in AgraFood Biotech. 84 (2 July 2002), 5. A survey of US consumers suggests they are willing to pay 5-8% premium for non-GM food, AgraFood Biotech. 81 (21 May 2002), 2-3. Nutritional genomics are discussed in BMJ 324 (2002), 1438-42. In general on the dangers of foods for health, The Independent on Sunday (14 July 2002), 4. The question of adding extra iron to cereal is discussed in Observer (14 July 2002), 13 (www.ifr.bbsrc.ac.uk). A review of heart benefit foods is AgroFoodIndustry HiTech (Jan. 2002), 2-3. Obesity is discussed in Lancet 359 (2002), 1955. A new patent in the UK is for improving the way food safety is determined, NS (15 June 2002), 23. Disease Risks & Drugs A series of papers on public health ethics is in JLME 30 (2002), 136-304. A review of potential uses of thalidomide is Croatian Medical J. 43 (2002), 274-83. The questions of making drugs taste nice is discussed in NS (6 July 2002), 12. They may taste too nice so that they are eaten like candy by children. The safety of mobile telephones is discussed in NS (29 June 2002), 16. WHO has linked smoking to passive cancer, The Guardian (20 June, 2002). Patenting & Business The Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee has recommended that farmers be allowed to plant seed saved from the previous year, even if that seed is subject to patent protection against that, AgraFood Biotech. 83 (18 June 2002), 16. In practice many farmers already do. General concerns that patents may stifle research are in NS (18 May 2002), 3, 5. A review is Spranger, TM. "Legal status and patentability of stem cells in Europe", Biotechnology Law Report 21 (April 2002), 105-12. The European Commission has advised against patenting stem cells. In a US court decision the protection of patents has been increased, Bioinform (3 June 2002), 1, 5-6. A discussion of biotechnology in Europe is J. Commercial Biotechnology 8 (2002), 269-70; NatBio 20 (2002), 551-5. Biotechnology in Medicon Valley is discussed in NatBio 20 (2002), 433-5; and in Germany, NatBio 20 (2002), 441-4. Criticism of monopolies is in NS (13 July 2002), 3. Syngenta agreed to wider release of the rice genome sequence data, Science 296 (2002), 1785-7. Birth Control A contraceptive injection for men has been introduced in trials in India, NS (8 June 2002), 5. Semen may make women feel happier, NS (29 June 2002), 5. Positive reports on oral contraceptives are in NEJM 346 (2002), 2078-9. A paper that discusses gynecological examinations for pregnancy and virginity in Turkey for legal and social reasons is Croatian Medical J. 43 (2002), 338-41. In the UK a transsexual born as a man won legal rights to be recognized as a woman and to be married, The Independent (12 July 2002), 5; The Times (12 July 2002), 10. A review of environmental estrogens and sex change is NS (29 June 2002), 42-5. Discussion of whether women prefer smarter men is in NS (25 May 2002), 26-30. Embryo Status The question of humane abortion is debated in the UK, Guardian (9 July 2002), 17. The increasing use and availability of the abortion pill in the UK is causing protests from those opposed, Guardian (8 July 2002), 11. A discussion of human embryology is Nature 418 (2002), 14-5. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) The US continues to be a country with no law to regulate human cloning, NS (29 June 2002), 10. The 2001 Annual Report of the Danish Council of Ethics comes together with their report on Cloning (51pp.). A new book on cloning is Ethical Eye \ Cloning (Council of Europe, 2002, 92-871-4702-7, US$23, 150pp., A5). A human stem cell project is called for in Nature 418 (2002), 1. Jewish reflections on ES cell research are in KIEJ 12 (2002), 65-94. Australia is investing money into stem cell research, Science 296 (2002), 1779-81. The science of stem cells is advancing, NatBio 20 (2002), 426-7; Lancet 359 (2002), 2171. On the ethics of reproductive technology, HCR 32 (May 2002), 41-5. The publicized mixup in the UK that led to a black baby being born to white parents has resulted in a 4 million pound effort to better avoid such mistakes in the future, Independent (14 July 2002), 7, 18. Court challenges for the custody of the baby started, Times (9 July 2002), 1; Observer (14 July 2002), 1. Implanting too many embryos increases a clinics success rate but it causes more multiple pregnancies, NS (13 July 2002), 4-5. The UK in a court decision may be close to recognizing a child's right to know their genetic parents after donor insemination, NS (6 July 2002), 28. Fetal Environment & Neonates A study of parent's experiences with life and death experiences for their premature infants is in Nursing Ethics 9 (2002), 388-404. In the UK there has been much debate over health concerns of HRT, The Times (10 July 2002), 1, 4; (11 July 2002), 10. Folic acid fortification of flour is a proper public health practice, BMJ 324 (2002), 1348-9. Genetic Disease Markers A discussion of complex disease and the future of clinical medicine and science is Science 296 (2002), 698+. The Cancer Genome Project has identified BRAF gene, Nature 417 (2002), 906-7. A new tumour suppressor gene has been discovered, Nature 417 (2002), 235-7. Defective mtDNA polymerase may cause eye paralysis, The Scientist (10 June 2002), 26-7. Genetic Screening Methodology Discussion of the Myriad Company attempted monopoly on breast cancer gene (BRCA1/2) testing is criticized in NS (13 July 2002), 28-33. Ovary removal can reduce the risk of breast and ovary cancer in women at risk, BMJ 324 (2002), 1295. Point of care testing is discussed in TIBTECH 20 (2002), 269-70. DNA Fingerprinting & Privacy The UK gene bank Biobank has received 45 million pounds form the MRC, SCRIP 2744/5 (8-10 May 2002), 6. The son of a baseball hero Ted Williams wants to extract DNA from his father's corpse, The Independent (14 July 2002), 20. In the UK deceitfully obtaining someone elses' DNA will become a criminal offense in the UK, Nature 417 (2002), 370-1. Ethics & Genetic Screening A paper discussing US policies is Hacker, C. "How much are our children worth? Evaluation of financial incentives for pediatric testing", Biotechnology Law Report 21 (April 2002), 113+. Consent for newborn screening is discussed in Health Law J. 9 (2001), 61-112. The ethics of conceiving to obtain hematopoietic stem cells are discussed in HCR 32 (May 2002), 34-40. The ethics of screening people against cancer is discussed in NS (22 June 2002), 34-7. The German Parliaments advisory commission on law and ethics in modern biotechnology has advised against preimplantation diagnosis, Lancet 359 (2002), 1926. A discussion document (the final one) from the New Zealand Independent Biotechnology Advisory Committee is on ethics of genetic testing (June 2002, 20pp.). Autonomy in genetic testing is discussed in CQHE 11 (2002), 246-56. Information resources on ethics and genetics are summarized in KIEJ 12 (2002), 103-113. Gene Therapy Book reviews of Stock, G., Redesigning Humans. Our Inevitable Genetic Future (Houghton Mifflin Company 2002), and Fukuyama, F. Our Posthuman Future. Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution (Farrar, Traus and Giroux, 2002) are in Science 296 (2002), 1807-8. New progress in gene therapy is discussed in Current Biology 12 (2002), R305. New methods for gene delivery are discussed in GEN 22 (15 June 2002), 15-6, 23. Germline stem cell transplantation and transgenesis is reported in Science 296 (2002), 2174+. Human Genome Project (HGP) A paper on ethics is Buchanan, A. et a. "Pharmacogenetics: Ethics issues and policy options", KIEJ 12 (2002), 1-16. A review of the HapMap project is in Science 296 (2002), 1391-2. The issues in postgenomic nomenclature are discussed in Science 296 (2002), 671-2. Policies on the release of genetic data should favour all, Nature 417 (2002), 589-90. Syngenta has agreed to wider release of their rice genome sequence data, Science 296 (2002), 1785-6, 1801. Comparisons of gene number, that find humans have less genes than rice, are in NS (13 July 2002), 19; Nature 417 (2002), 374-5. Human/mice comparisons are summarized in Science 296 (2002), 1601-3. The final touches to the human genome sequence are discussed in Science 296 (2002), 1600-1. A draft cow genome sequence with 600,000 SNPs is reported in Nature 417 (2002), 778. Genome sequencing plans do not include macaques for now, Nature 417 (2002), 473-4. Genomic targets in aging research are discussed in Science 296 (2002), 1250-1. General Medical Ethics Competence for Alzheimer's patients in research is CQHE 11 (2002), 230-45. Privacy for patients in the forensic department of a psychiatric clinic is discussed in Nursing Ethics 9 (2002), 347-60. Privacy for patients in a Ukrainian prison is reported in Nursing Ethics 9 (2002), 361-72. A report on bioethics consultations in the private sector is HCR 32 (May 2002), 14-22. Improved health can result from a good hospital environment, NS (22 June 2002), 38-41. Ethics and neuroscience is discussed in The Economist (25 May 2002), 83-6. Law & Medical Ethics The ethics of research on children is discussed, CQHE 11 (2002), 217-29. Canadian governance of health research involving human subjects is discussed in Health Law J. 9 (2001), 1-22. The EU directive on clinical trials for emergency medcine is discussed in BMJ 324 (2002), 1169-70. Reflections on the NBAC are made by Eric Meslin and Harold Shapiro in KIEJ 12 (2002), 95-102. Scientific Ethics A comparison of peer review process in Croatian Medical J. and Lancet is in Croatian Medical J. 43 (2002), 286-9. Obsession with scientific evidence can lead to the wrong conclusions in politics, NS (22 June 2002), 46-7. Criticism of a European boycott of Israeli researchers is in Science 296 (2002), 1765. German misconduct rules are discussed in Science 296 (2002), 1778-9. Euthanasia & Terminal Care Funding of end of life care is discussed in Health Law Review 10 (2002), 3-5. The death tool from Shipman in the UK may be 300 persons, The Observer (14 July 2002), 4. Discussion of dowry related murder in India is NS (29 June 2002), 12-4. Organ Transplants & Brain Death The question of cloning is discussed in Green, RM. Et al. "Overseeing research on therapeutic cloning: A private ethics board responds to it's critics", HCR 32 (May 2002), 27-33. Somatic cell plasticity is discussed in NatBio 20 (2002), 425. Expression of telemorase in bone marrow stromal cells may make cell based bone tissue engineering possible, NatBio 20 (2002), 560-1. A case against paying for kidneys is made in KIEJ 12 (2002), 17-46, 47-64. Ethical issues on the use of human tissue and the New Zealand Green Lane Heart Library are discussed in New Zealand Bioethics J. 3 (No.2, 2002), 4-15.