The latest from the Center for Genetics and Society ‌ ‌ ‌ August 26, 2021 From the CGS Trove: Resources for the Fall Season As the last days of summer wane and we transition into fall, we thought you might enjoy some of our favorite recent CGS resources. Book Review: The Orphans of Davenport, by Marilyn Brookwood Pete Shanks, Biopolitical Times | 08.24.2021 The story of eugenics in America can be told in many ways. Brookwood focuses almost entirely on some of the people who opposed it, how they came (sometimes rather slowly) to their dissenting views — for eugenics was the orthodoxy in science, in politics, and in society in general — and their struggles to overcome the entrenched power structure. HUMAN GENE EDITING | ASSISTED REPRODUCTION | EUGENICS | VARIOUS HUMAN GENE EDITING WHO guidelines on human genome editing: why countries need to follow them Sheetal Soni, The Conversation | 08.22.2021 The World Health Organization has called on countries to stop any research that might lead to the birth of genetically edited human beings. Its recently published recommendations give advice on appropriate institutional, national, regional, and global governance mechanisms for various potential uses of human genome editing. Podcast: Human gene-editing and what it means for social justice Rebecca Megson-Smith and Eben Kirksey, Transforming Society | 08.16.2021 Eben Kirksey, author of The Mutant Project, discusses Dr. Jiankui He, who created the first genetically modified babies, and explores the broader ethical and social justice implications of human genome editing. Gene therapies should be for all Editorial, Nature Medicine | 08.12.2021 Cost is at the center of the gene therapy accessibility problem. Pricing remains largely unregulated and is decided on a case-by-case basis, often concentrating on a single upfront payment. The worry is that the commercialization of gene therapies might further penalize disadvantaged communities. CRISPR pioneer Feng Zhang's latest work delivers mRNA, gene therapy with a human protein Angus Liu, Fierce Biotech | 08.19.2021 The system, dubbed SEND, leverages the ability of a human protein called PEG10 to bind to its own mRNA and form a protective capsule around it. Because SEND uses a protein that’s produced naturally in the body, it may not trigger immune responses that can render gene therapies ineffective. ASSISTED REPRODUCTION The fertility industry is poorly regulated – and would-be parents can lose out on having children as a result Naomi Cahn and Dena Sharp, The Conversation | 08.23.2021 Assisted reproduction is now a multibillion-dollar industry, with more than 440 U.S. clinics. In other industrialized nations, including the U.K., fertility treatment is monitored by independent, comprehensive regulators. In the U.S., government regulation is so light that the U.S. fertility industry has been called the “Wild West.” Reproductive technology and surrogacy reforms a step closer Media Statement, Government of Western Australia | 08.18.2021 Western Australia has agreed to develop new laws that give donor-conceived people greater information about their ancestry; improve access to altruistic surrogacy, including for same-sex couples, single men, transgender, and intersex people; and maintain a ban on commercial surrogacy. Make sure new law doesn’t make surrogates ‘useful wombs’ Anne Else, Newsroom | 08.16.2021 New Zealand is considering a new law to govern legal parenthood in surrogacy, in addition to revising the outdated 1955 Adoption Act. But the proposals say very little about what will happen if the intended parents can’t or won’t take the child. The Wild West of Fertility Clinics Madeline Verniero, The Regulatory Review | 08.10.2021 Synopsis of a 2015 article arguing that lack of regulation has led to a “Wild West” mentality in U.S. fertility clinics, where “cash is king and informed consent is optional.” With minimal regulations and hefty price tags, IVF providers have little incentive to inform patients of risks. Other countries regulate assisted reproduction with a more aggressive approach; the U.S. badly needs regulatory reform. EUGENICS Literature’s dystopian future is closer than you think Bri Lee, The Age | 08.13.2021 In the 1930s, Aldous Huxley wondered how we’d class people pre-birth; in the 1940s, George Orwell asked how we’d do it post-birth. In 2021, scientists like Stephen Hsu are taking us towards a Brave New World while economic policy is taking us towards 1984. If we are not taking firm steps towards equality, the worst among us and the worst within us will thrive. They, the people: Social Darwinism in the United States Patricia J. Williams, TLS | 08.06.2021 Charles Murray’s latest rehash, Facing Reality: Two truths about race in America, is a book published in 2021 that could have been written in 1921, or 1821. It forces the reader to confront the basics of white supremacy and take a stand. VARIOUS Chiropractors who peddled stem cell ‘miracles’ accused of deceptive practices Johnny Edwards, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | 08.18.2021 A lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission and the Georgia Attorney General alleges that several stem cell companies and entrepreneurs made false and misleading claims to convince patients to hand over $5,000 per stem cell injection. Public Interest Litigation in Delhi High Court seeks ban on sex-selective surgeries Amiya Kumar Kushwaha, Asian News International | 08.16.2021 The petition urges the Delhi government to declare a ban on medically unnecessary sex-selective surgeries on intersex infants and children, except in life-threatening situations. National Academies’ Report Took Pharma-Friendly Stance After Millions in Gifts From Drugmakers Christina Jewett, Kaiser Health News | 08.12.2021 Congress asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to examine drug-waste issues related to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of taxpayer-funded pharmaceuticals. It got a report that includes “egregious” failures to disclose conflicts of interest, says Sheldon Krimsky. The National Academy of Sciences itself has collected at least $10 million from major drugmakers since 2015, as well as generous gifts from other corporations, foundations, and universities. SUBSCRIBE | WEBSITE | ABOUT US | WHO WE ARE | CONTACT ‌ ‌ ‌ DONATE The Center For Genetics and Society | 1122 University Ave. Suite 100, Berkeley, CA 94702 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!