Bioethics
We Ignore Ethical Problems With Surrogacy at Our Own Peril
There are major bioethical objections to surrogacy.
Who Should Doctors Save? Inside the Debate Over Rationing Coronavirus Care
There's no agreement about what factors to consider. Alabama guidelines would exclude patients with severe mental retardation. New York policy is to maximize the number of lives saved—meaning a 90-year-old patient would get the same priority as a 20-year-old.
The Ethics of Posthumous Sperm Retrieval
An ongoing case in Israel touches on a decades-old global debate.
The Ethical Dilemma of Conjoined Twins
"Some people think separating them when you know one will die is an act of killing, and other people think it's the only humane thing."
Gene Editing Is Causing a Government Ethics Nightmare
There are virtually no regulations for CRISPR technology.
Can a Child Refuse to Comply With Cancer Treatment?
Pediatric oncologists must sometimes call in authorities, or ask themselves whether the care they're providing is doing more harm than good.
Does a Resurrected Dead Brain Have Its Old Character?
If there is limited or no psychological continuity, the original person won't benefit: They are now truly dead, since their body and brain have become a new person.
Scientists Prolong Life of Embryos by a Week
Researchers have figured out a way to keep embryos alive for much longer—great news for science but a headache for bioethicists.