REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
20-week abortions bans scale back late-term abortions despite ample evidence that fetal anomalies, particularly those that are lethal, are detected between 18-24 weeks, forcing women to carry nonviable fetuses to term at their own peril.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Junk science has been driving the legislative debate over “fetal pain” laws, making rational, scientific policymaking about women’s health nearly obsolete.
BIOETHICS
A story that began in 1951 and continues to play out today reminds us that it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to guarantee the long-term confidentiality of genetic information.
SMART HEALTH
As technological innovation empowers consumers to take greater control over their lives, creative new apps are helping home care workers better assist Americans with Alzheimer’s and autism.
NEUROSCIENCE
Whether the President’s BRAIN initiative will be the successor to the human genome project, only time will tell. But whatever the results of research, simply asking hard questions has always led to its own rewards.
PUBLIC HEALTH
As an increasing body of research has tied the consumption of sugary drinks to obesity, public efforts like Bloomberg’s represent one small step toward reorienting a culture where portion sizes have continued to spiral out of control.
SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
The number of scientific articles retracted due to fraud has increased tenfold since 1975, and some of these fraudulent studies have done real damage to the public’s trust in science.
RESEARCH ETHICS
The Obama administration has called on researchers to minimize the risks of dual-use research.
E-HEALTH INNOVATION
The electronic medical record could save the clinical trial, cut health care costs, and improve the value of research.
BIOETHICS
This week, the Supreme Court announced it would refuse to hear arguments seeking to ban federally funded research using embryonic stem cells, effectively setting the issue of limited federal funding for such research to rest.
E-HEALTH & PRIVACY
Health and Human Services privacy chief on cloud computing and electronic medical record security: “The technology, the movement, and the practices are way ahead of the policy.”
BIOETHICS
As the nation reflects in the wake of a the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, the American Psychiatric Association is preparing to release a major revision to its classification system for mental disorders.
LAW AND BIOETHICS
While the infamous stem cell research case of Sherley v. Sebelius receives yet another ruling in the DC Circuit, questions remain about the usefulness of the Dickey-Wicker Amendment in the face of rapidly changing science.
BIOMEDICAL INNOVATION
Surprisingly few of the billions of federal dollars spent on biomedical research go toward translating basic science discoveries into workable therapies. But a brand new NIH program is taking small steps in the right direction.
BIOPOLITICS
Think you know your left from right, in the debate over 21st century biopolitics? When it comes to biotechnology, think again. Stem cells, embryo research and synthetic biology are just a few of the issues that will force strange new political alliances
The “open source” software movement may have created your browser, it you’re using Firefox. But the open source movement in biotechnology is less well-known. This article explains why.
BIOETHICS
A revolutionary new pill substantially reduces the risk of HIV infection if taken properly, but could also lead to more risky behavior and higher rates of infection if taken improperly. What’s a drug-maker to do?
NEUROETHICS
Applied neuroscience—from neuromarketing, to mind-reading, to cognitive lifestyle enhancement— is rapidly becoming a reality affecting commerce, national security, and culture. This primer looks at where we are going, and what we need to look out for.
BIOETHICS
In the a classic debate over organ and tissue donation, scholars and advocates argue over an altruism- or market-based approach. But a recent decision by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals opens up new middle ground, at least for some kinds of tissue.
HEALTH AND BIOETHICS
American cancer patients are suffering from a critical shortage of certain life-saving drugs. Patricia Tereskerz and Ann Mills discuss how conflicts of interest ranging from Congress, to Medicare, to doctor-patient relationships may be to blame.
Science Progress and American Progress's Doing What Works project teamed up to produce a set of policy proposals that the Obama administration and Congress can adopt to reinvest in the building blocks of American science, innovation, and economic competitiveness. Read the overview of the five reports.
Science Progress proceeds from the propositions that scientific inquiry is among the finest expressions of human excellence, that it is a crucial source of human flourishing, a critical engine of economic growth, and must be dedicated to the common good. Scientific inquiry entails global responsibilities. It should lead to a more equitable, safer, and healthier future for all of humankind.