At What Price, Immortality

Transhumanism has become very common in the world. To be a transhumanist means to encourage the development of technologies that would prolong one's lifespan to perhaps more than one hundred years more than the average life expectancy. Transhumanism is a movement in which individuals are implanting the idea that technology should advance in order to help with this process of expanding one's physical, intellectual, and psychological capacities. The flaw behind this movement? Transhumanists believe there is no essence of nature that should be respected or preserved; that nature itself is entirely flawed. We, as humans, should (the transhumanists believe) are already going into the path in creating regenerative medicine to a post-human future for all, which means becoming what Margaret Somerville calls "techno-sapiens." However, we would no longer be human. We might lose ourselves in the process and become "machines" of the future. Transhumanists argue post-humans will be more ethical and moral than present humans, the wars and conflict will cease, and so on. If immortality would become such a major "trend" in society, what chances will there be for later generations to take on as the present generations are still alive?

Although feared by many, what role does death play in the human life cycle? Is it an important one?
If you had the chance, would you like to become a "techno-sapien"?

Senators Question Deals to Block Generic Lipitor

US Senators have asked the drug maker Pfizer and five other health companies to detail their agreements to block prescriptions of generic versions of the cholesterol drug Lipitor and sell only the Pfizer brand-name version. Doing this is an effect from the ending on the Lipitor patent and now the senators wish to have the government regulate the drug to promote the general welfare. Although by selling one generic brand of drugs, it would make a less competitive market which would stimulate profit and be more available to public access. However, it is feared that this can cause a monopoly on the lipitor market and cause Medicare, and other healthcare programs to reply on Pfizer corporation where they must pay their prices.

Is it a mistake to allow government regulation over such a drug? do the drugs pose as a danger to society?

Publicly Insured

This article dealt with doctors refusing to make appointments to publicly insured child patients. Two out of three publicly insured child patients were refused an appointment while only eleven percent of privately insured child patients were refused. Publicly insured patients who were given an appointment also had to wait an average of forty two days compared to privately insured patients who waited an average of twenty two days for an appointment.

Is it against "doctor code" to deny a patient treatment and/or attention based on whether or not they are privately insured?

Turn on, tune in and get better?

This article is about scientists finding new uses for hallucinogens and street drugs for study of legitimate therapeutic uses, such as helping patients deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, chronic pain, depression and even terminal illness. They believe these agents have the potential to help patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, drug or alcohol addiction, unremitting pain or depression, and the existential anxiety of terminal illness. In their next incarnation, these drugs may help the psychologically wounded tune in to their darkest feelings and memories and turn therapy sessions into heightened opportunities to learn and heal. Researchers explored the usefulness of hallucinogenic agents as an adjunct to psychotherapy in the 1950s and '60s. But allegations that hallucinogens were used in government-funded "mind control" efforts, freewheeling experimentation by proponents like Dr. Timothy Leary and the drugs' appeal to a generation in revolt quashed legitimate research for decade. The thaw has been slow in coming. In 2008, Griffiths co-wrote a report in the Journal of Psychopharmacology comparing psilocybin with a placebo for people dealing with incurable diseases. Psilocybin resulted in "mystical experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance," according to the study, the first since 1972 to explore a hallucinogen's therapeutic value.

The question is--
Is it worth it to use hallucinogens and street drugs, for legitimate therapeutic uses? Does it really benefit and help society as a whole?

A Chinese practice ...without consent, say what?

In China, there is a practice of transplanting organs of the deceased, executed prisoners. However there is a twist, they were not informed (while still alive) of what doctors and others may do to their bodies. This strips people of their basic human rights.

Questions to consider:
- Sound familiar?
- Although this is considered a "barbaric practice," the practice is not wasting such life-saving organs. Is that still wrong?

The Case for Enhancing People

This article talks about inevitable enhancements in the near future as science marches on. However, the type of enhancements are a huge concern, as the reasons behind getting such a leg up on other people aren’t very virtious in most regards. But today, we currently enjoy a longer life span and better health (in general) than we did in the past. Would that be considered that bad of an enchancement?

Should there be enhancements? If so, what kind and why? If not, why?

Medicare to Pay for Obesity Counseling

In addition to providing the elderly with low-cost health insurance coverage, Medicare will now pay for obesity screening and intensive behavioral counseling. This has been set up to combat obesity in persons aged 65 or older. While some people are pleased about this, many experts in medical fields say that this program won't come through with many benefits, critiquing that if these types of people are obese when they reach old age, there will be little hope for them to break this habit.

Should Medicare be allowed to cover additional costs even though it is running out of money to support those aged 65 and over?

Cancer drug 'scalpers' corner US market

This article is about companies who buy drugs that are in short supply that are used to treat cancer patients. Then the companies that have bought the treatments that are in low supply resell it from prices that may be 650 to 4000 percent over the usual cost. In turn, hospitals that buy these products will have to pay more that they should and also charge the patient more for the treatment. The vendors act as a middleman and hike up the prices because of scarcity. In the end if the patient cannot afford the treatment, the debt will have to be covered by the hospital.

Why is it that law enforccement is not taking action to stop the reselling of the products that are extremely overpriced.

Custody of obese children!

In this article a eight year old kid who is two hundred pounds was taken away from his house because he was obese Cuyahoga County officials felt that his obesity put him at risk. The question that came up was would it be more beneficial for kids to leave their house for foster care so that they can try to be more healthy or just stay in the same household knowing that the kid may be at risk for the rest of their lives? Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics and medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania says that there could be possibility of a intervention for the kid to be able to eat more healthy in the future.

Does the media portray a bad image to children about what they should eat?
Are parents the ones that need to take responsibility in what their child eats?
Should obease children be brought into foster care to help better their diets so that they can be able to change their diet in the future.

New brain vaccine aims to turn fatal disease into chronic ones.

In this article scientists are trying to change brain tumors, or brain cancer, from a fatal killer to a manageable disease. Today the five year survival rate for brain cancer is 1%, the University of Miami and nine other institutes are trying to end the tumor’s fatal reputation through clinical experiments. The new vaccine is given quickly after a patient’s diagnosis with glioblastomas. Chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments are then stopped. Glioblastomas are the most devastating tumor and account for 30 percent of all brain tumors. So far the clinical vaccine is in Phase I of the trial with 10 patients, with hope to soon move onto Phase II, which with more patients could hopefully result in the FDA approval.

Do you think cancer patients should shop treatments to thy this experimental vaccine?

New Hope of a Cure of H.I.V.

In this article, a man that received a bone marrow transplant was cured of HIV and has been living well for the past four years. The patients immune system was replaced by a donor's. The donor was among the one percent of Northern Europeans who are naturally resistant to the infection. After witnessing the experiment, scientists tried to modify other immune cells to make them resistant to HIV. As previously incurable diseases slowly become curable, humanities weaknesses are becoming fewer and fewer. Are weakness and disease things that make us human? Is it ethical to eliminate all of humanities weaknesses?

Bionic contact lens 'to project emails before eyes'

Yes, it is actually being tested. Technology is so advanced that this is a possibility to have in our society in the very near future. As close they think they may be, there could be some key factors that they will have to work out before they sold these. This quite impressive. But, is this too advanced for our world? DO you think technology is taking over our world slowly but surely?

Read this article for more details and let me know what you think?

An Artificial Pancreas Could Cure Diabetes

Doctors and Scientists at the University of Virginia are trying to develop a Artificial Pancreas that could ultimately be the cure for Type-1 diabetes. The artificial pancreas will produce insulin and mimics the glucose regulation function of a regular pancreas. Patients who participated in the trials say that it brings some "normalcy" back to their lives and they do not have to worry about the diabetes. Diabetes is becoming more common every day and can be a very serious disease if not properly taken care of and can result in loss of vision, amputation of limbs and even death. Diabetes is a serious disease and the "Artificial Pancreas" will certainly make a big difference and help those with Type-1 Diabetes. The US FDA still has not approved the device and has set up guidelines that need to be meet by the device's inventors.

Should the F.D.A. approve the Artificial Pancreas? Why or Why not?

U.S. Doctors Disagree on When Pregnancy Starts

Many doctors are going against the common belief that pregnancy starts during implantation, a week after fertilization, and think pregnancy starts at conception. The common belief was put into place by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology which defined the beginning of pregnancy as when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus, or implantation, which happens roughly a week after fertilization.

When do you think pregnancy starts?

Euthanasia

This article dealt with the idea of euthanasia. Euthanasia comes from the greek language and means "good death." Euthanasia is taking somebody off of life support when they are in a vegetative or very painful state with no sign of recovery. In this situation the spouse or parents call whether or not the person is pulled off of life support.

Are we playing god by pulling the plug or do we play god by putting a person with no chance of recovery on life support?
http://www.bioethics.org.au/Resources/Resource%20Topics/Euthanasia.htm

Matching Sport with DNA

This is an article about DNA is used to figure out which sport a kid should play. The parents would by a kit that costs $160 and then swab some DNA on a q-tip. Then, they would send it into a lab where they would test if it has this one particular ACTN 3 Gene which directly corresponds to fast-twitch explosive muscles. There is controversy because many people think this is a scam.

Question: Would you do something like this if you had your child?

UK Medical Body Lobbies Free Funerals For Organ Donors.

A medical group in Britain has stated through reports that the Parliament (the U.K.'s government) pay for the funeral or organ donors. The medical group hope that this will boost the shortage of organ donors in the U.K. The report's co-author Keith Rigg told the CBS, "We have ruled out giving people a direct financial incentive to donate," CBS has stated that there is very little difference from how medical schools often cover burial or cremation costs of people who donate their bodies to science. The only difference is the controversial issue of organ donation. For this reason no decision has been reached. Do you think it's fair that the cost of burial or cremation of people who donate their bodies to science is covered yet the cost for organ donors is not? Do you think people should be organ donors?

FIrst U.S. Conviction for organ trafficking.

An Israeli man, Izhak Rosenbaum has been convicted for organ trafficking. The donors were paid $10,000. The operations were performed in American hospitals including  Johns Hopkins. Rosenbaum's expertise in coaching donor to deceive the hospitals that the donations were voluntary.

Would you be a Donor? Why or why not?

Killing the Willing

On Thursday (Oct 20), 38-year-old Christopher Johnson was executed by lethal injection in an Alabama prison after only four years on death row. The average time between sentencing and death in the US is currently about 14 years, but Johnson consistently declined to appeal or ask for clemency. He had murdered his six-month-old son to spite his estranged wife.

Opponents of the death penalty said that Johnson was an example of death penalty “volunteers” who are using execution as a kind of assisted suicide.

Do you think murders are used as assisted suicides when they are sentenced to be executed?

Mississippi debates personhood in abortion battle

Proposition 26 on the Mississippi ballot believes that personhood begins at conception and that abortion should no longer be allowed. This proposition would ban all abortions even tjose from rape or incest. The republican candidate for the Governor of the state of Mississippi is co-chairman of Prop 26 and the democratic representative says that he will support the proposition as well. Supporters of the prop are hoping that the members of the Supreme Court will see the embryo as a person and therefore make abortion into murder. This is their hope and they have a strong belief that this will happen.

Why are people not allowed to get an abortion even in the conception came from rape or incest?
Do you think the supreme court will pass this?

Augmentation Debate Takes On a New Level as it Influences a New Video game

A new video game has been created called Deus Ex, in which the player lives in a scientifically dominated world in the year 2027. Where the world is obsessed with this idea of transhumanism, or using technology to transcend homo sapiens. In the game, a human can get brain enhancements that can assist them in social interactions. This game was created with the assistance of scientists who described many of the actual scientific advancements everyone should be prepared to see in 2027 and even earlier.

Do you believe scientific advancements that improve the human being not only physically but now mentally will help society grow or hinder it? Does the possibility that this strange and almost unbelievable video game becoming reality scare you or excite you?

Stem cell clinics ripping off patients, bullying scientists

The article re-visits the controversy that is in the study of stem cell research. Stem cell research is a now profitable process where many scientists offer stem cells for all medical processes. Recently, a 36 year old man was treated with esophagus cancer as he was given an entirely new windpipe made of stem cells. Even professional athletes turn to stem cells for quick recoveries and physical therapies. Scientists now seeing the supply and demand of stem cells, are now overcharging patients for stem cell treatment. Patients are being bullied as they are now over paying for stem cells that may not even guarantee the results promised by doctors and scientists. However, the need to feel young and healthy has been consumed by the modern people. Millions of dollars are spent around the world as people will way whatever it takes to feel young, causing themselves to be ripped off by stem cell researchers.

Why is modern society obsessed with being young and willing to pay so much money for non guaranteed treatment?