bioethics

Researchers who study developing human embryos have long limited their experimentation to lab embryos that are no more than 14 days into development. Some scientists are now pushing that boundary.

A Swedish biologist wants to change the genes of healthy human embryos to find ways to treat infertility and other diseases. The experiments intensify ethical questions about genetic engineering.

Women encounter a dilemma when they get pregnant: Should they continue taking medications that keep them healthy? That question can be scary, because drugs are rarely tested for safety in pregnancy.

The National Institutes of Health is proposing to fund experiments that create chimeras of human and animal cells while also imposing restrictions in response to ethical concerns.

How to make thinking about death less somber? Hold a festival! Indianapolis did. Through art, film and book talks, residents explored everything from bucket lists to advance directives and cremation.

The unusual meeting was called to consider a ban on certain uses of a new technique that can make precise changes in DNA. The main concern is altering genes in human sperm, eggs and embryos.