Rebecca Robbins
Million-dollar gene therapies offer salvation for many patients but pose financial challenges for government-funded health care systems
A wave of transformative but hugely expensive treatments is challenging the budgets of health systems in wealthy nations. Now countries ...
Antibody treatments: Vaccines are in demand while other effective drugs go unused. Here’s why
Hospitals and clinics, staggered by the needs of the sick and gearing up to help administer the new coronavirus vaccines, ...
Artificial consent: Unproven AI making key decisions about patients health care without their knowledge
At a growing number of prominent hospitals and clinics around the country, clinicians are turning to AI-powered decision support tools ...
Hunting for DNA signatures in blood could offer early warning system for cancer
The many companies developing liquid biopsies to try to detect cancer early have so far largely mined the blood in ...
A video game for ADHD? We’re still waiting to see what the FDA thinks
In mid-2018, the startup Akili Interactive Labs asked the Food and Drug Administration to let it do something that’s never ...
23andMe venturing into business of recruiting patients for clinical trials
Consumer genetics giant 23andMe announced [September 26] that it would move deeper into the business of clinical trial recruitment, partnering with a ...
Researcher backtracks on study suggesting He Jiankui’s controversial CRISPR babies will have shorter lifespans
A scientific study published this past spring came with damning implications for Chinese scientist He Jiankui, who created the world’s first ...
Meet biohacker Anastasia Synn, magician with 26 self-implanted microchips and magnets under her skin
[Anastasia] Synn has 26 microchips and magnets implanted throughout her body. Unlike many biohackers who experiment purely out of personal ...
DNA sequencing clinics catering to curious wealthy clients
Seizing on the surging popularity of at-home DNA testing kits, top academic medical institutions are opening clinics that promise to ...
FDA mulling whether patients should have to pay to join clinical trials
Some [clinical trials] plan to ask participants to pay $7,000 or so to enroll. Another wanted to ask for upward ...
Elon Musk developing brain implant that would control computers, smartphones with our thoughts
His [Elon Musk] startup Neuralink has developed technology meant to be implanted into the brain that’s designed to allow people ...
Podcast: Talking CRISPR with controversial biohacker Josiah Zayner
Is biohacking a crime? Who came up with the latest CRISPR trick? And did Rage Against the Machine sell out? ...
Biohacker Josiah Zayner meets with California regulators investigating him: ‘It was surreal’
A few weeks ago, the prominent biohacker Josiah Zayner took to Instagram to break some news: He had received a ...
Genetic tests are used to determine antidepressant efficacy – but science might not back up claims
It can be notoriously difficult for psychiatrists and patients to determine which antidepressant might be most effective, or which might cause side ...
Pro fighters monitored to shed light on early signs of trauma-induced brain damage
Researchers have enrolled close to 700 mixed martial arts fighters and boxers, both active and retired, in the past six years ...
Having trouble conceiving? A new genetic test might help
More than 50 doctors have already ordered [the Fertilome test] for hundreds of women seeking scientific guidance on questions such as whether ...
Billionaire doctor’s Cancer MoonShot 2020 appears more hype than reality
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong vowed [to vanquish cancer] when he launched his audacious “Cancer MoonShot 2020” a year ago...The supremely self-confident billionaire ...
More athletes relying on genetic testing to tailor workouts despite meager scientific evidence
Genetic analysis companies are forging alliances with personal trainers, chiropractors, and coaches around the world to market genomics tests that ...
Federal investigation throws doubt on Luminosity’s supposed IQ benefits
The brain-training giant Lumosity is recalibrating its strategy and facing new challenges as it reels from a federal crackdown on bold ...
Athletes avoiding genetic test for concussion risks despite potential benefits
[The new APOE test is] an easy genetic test that promises to identify which young athletes are likely to suffer the most ...
Do commercial interests detract from important issues in medical research?
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. We may owe the ...
