Genetic Crossroads
The intersection of biotechnology, reproduction and society
Marcy Darnovsky Ph.D., Jessica Cussins, Pete Shanks, Osagie K Obasogie J.D., Ph.D., Elliot Hosman J.D.
What can we expect from President-elect Trump’s appointments in the areas of medical research and the life sciences?
A future Utopia of Supermen and Superwomen as envisioned by early 20th century supporters of eugenics: What would it look like? Could making a better world be so simple?
In the early 20th century, a well-respected physician refused to save the lives of babies born with disabilities, demonstrating the dangers of placing valuations on human lives.
Who is eligible for a temporary womb transplant? What are the health risks? Who can afford the $300,000 bill?
Will a biotech elite make society-altering decisions on the planet's behalf?
DNA testing companies are luring customers with health and ancestry guesstimates to sell their data, and sometime handing off customers' biological ID to law enforcement.
With debate over the new field of eugenics in 1917, surgeon Harry Haiselden decided to make a movie illustrating his opposition to medical intervention to save the lives of babies born with disabilities. That film was entitled "The Black Stork."
In 1915, Dr. Harry Haiselden decided not to operate to save the life of a baby born with disabilities. His controversial choice sparked a massive public debate over the responsibilities of medical doctors, the rights of individuals with disabilities, and the new and dangerous field of eugenics.
Eight insiders provide predictions about the next ten years in genetics and genomics, and not one wavers: “All are optimistic and predict enormous positive impact.” Should the rest of us be so optimistic?
"Eggsploitation: Maggie's Story" reveals how the fertility industry takes advantage of individuals' altruistic motives in search of profit while the medical risks remain unknown.
Eugenic divorces, break-ups, and courtroom drama in the 1910s vividly illustrate the downsides of “perfection.”
When gazing deeply into a lover's eyes, eugenists advised, women should not look for the "yearning, burning, soulful fires, which rage in the erotic litany of love," but for symptoms of eye disease.
The ideas of "choice" and "intent" have arisen in debates about both the confederate flag and prenatal genetic testing. But are these concepts insufficiently nuanced for these tough topics?
The first post in a new series on forgotten stories of the American eugenics movement examines how early-1900s baby health contests increased popular support for eugenics.
With marriage equality the law of the land, the dignity of LGBTQ families calls for an ongoing conversation about the regulation of the ART and surrogacy industries.
The recognition of this history is timely because advances in genetic and reproductive technologies will put increasingly more people in the position of having to wrestle with questions about the kind of child they want – and don’t want – to bring into the world.
Events of this summer, including the abandonment of Baby Gammy and controversial comments from Richard Dawkins, speak to the risk of conflating one type of information with a broader reality.
As criticisms of the brain projects on both sides of the Atlantic ramp up, there are lessons that can be learned from the successes and failures of the Human Genome Project.
A new science fiction film that is described as “a sort of prequel to Gattaca” highlights the rise and fall of a genetic startup that analyzes people’s genomes to assess their ability to produce disease-free children.
Contrary to official reports, new evidence shows that “3-person IVF” could pose serious risks to women and children. So why are we being told that it’s a “not unsafe” option?
What might our unregulated Brave New World look like? BBC America’s television series, Orphan Black by Canadian director John Fawcett, nails it.
Is Nicholas Wade shocked and horrified that his new book, A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History, is getting support from racists? Really, what did he expect?
The new film Transcendence won’t win you over with its dialogue or love scenes, but it’s a great springboard for pondering what quickly approaching developments in artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and regenerative medicine may actually mean for society.
A new JAMA report has found that whole genome sequencing has large hurdles to overcome before it can be integrated into clinical care, but there’s another point to consider: Should it be there in the first place?
Missing that je ne sais quoi with someone new this Valentine’s Day? A Canada-based startup claims to have mastered the science behind that illusive chemistry.
Public disapproval of inheritable genetic modification and attempts to revive extinct species is as strong as ever.
Chinese scientists announced the birth of the first primates created with a precision gene modification technique, raising both hopes about new insights into human diseases and concerns about new attempts at human inheritable genetic engineering.
An editorial in a top medical journal warns that data on complications of egg retrieval for “donors” is missing, and prevents truly informed choices.
The seventh-graders at KIPP Bridge Charter in Oakland, CA, have put together a fabulous rap about Rosalind Franklin's role in the discovery of the double helix.
Recent publicity in the UK, and lawsuits and legislative hearings in the US, are a reminder that right-wing activists make cynical use of the sex selection issue to restrict women's reproductive rights.
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