Science in Society Archive

Biomedical Biotechnology

Index of articles in the Science in Society Archive on the topic biomedical biotechnology, and related technologies. For articles in other categories, please see the SiS archive menu.

See also the following subcategories

Interview with Mae-Wan Ho
From genetics and GMOs to quantum biology and cosmology
Mónica Fernández 8th July 2015

Scientists Discover New Route for GM-gene 'Escape'
Genetically modified genes can jump species via wounds, yes horizontal gene transfer happens, and at high frequencies; it is the greatest, most underestimated hazard from GMOs released into the environment
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 2nd March 2011

Pig Organ Transplants Dangerous & Costly
A damning report on xeno-transplantation buried by government officials, according to The Observer
ISIS 28th July 2003

Dynamic Genomics
Evidence has emerged that the cocktail of drugs and environmental hazards to which Gulf War veterans have been exposed all target a special part of the genome thats responsible for the immune response. The consequences are startling, and may have far-reaching relevance for diagnosis and prevention of other chronic diseases
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 18th June 2003

AIDS Vaccines Worse Than Useless?
The US administration is offering AIDS-ravaged nations support for fighting AIDS tied to the purchase of GM products. The main anti-AIDS strategy is a class of vaccines that carries its own risks. Prominent AIDS researchers have called repeatedly for a moratorium as evidence of hazards accumulates.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 17th June 2003

Canada Rejects Patents on Higher Life Forms
Canada's Supreme Court rules out patents on higher life forms. Lim Li Ching reports on this landmark decision and its wider implications.
Lim Li Ching 30th January 2003

Genetically Modified Humans: For What and for Whom?
‘Gene therapy’ has been aggressively pursued for more than twelve years with little success. The death of a healthy teenager in a clinical trial in 1999 alerted the public to the hazards involved.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Prof. Joe Cummins 6th July 2002

Latest Exposé on the Fluid Genome
Russian scientists suggest that circulating DNA from dead cells are taken in by living cells in order to replace mutated genes with good copies. What are the implications for the safety of transgenic DNA?
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 2nd May 2002

Doubts Deepen over Safety of AIDS Vaccines
Another key AIDS vaccine is abandoned before phase III trial. This latest setback comes at the end of a string of failures in developing vaccines that may be worse than useless
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 1st May 2002

The National Health Crisis and 'Health Genomics'
Continuing crisis in the National Health Service in Britain has been hitting the headlines almost daily. The nation desperately needs to invest in research that can improve the health of its citizens. But research funds are being swallowed up by 'health genomics'
Sam Burcher and Mae Wan Ho 10th February 2002

Human DNA 'BioBank' Worthless
Health genomics' promises to 'revolutionalise healthcare' in the new millennium. Britain is forging ahead with plans to set up a human DNA 'Biobank' collection Dr. MaeWan Ho and 4 tell us why the Biobank assets are not worth the huge investments required, and call for wideranging open debate.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Nick Papadimitriou 19th January 2002

Two Takes on Malaria
Potentially hazardous transgenic mosquitoes are being promoted as a means for controlling malaria at a time when safe effective measures are already available.
Prof. Joe Cummins and Sam Burcher 1st November 2001

GM AIDS Virus More Deadly
Researchers have been creating one deadly virus after another in the laboratory, and the latest is ‘SHIV’, a hybrid between the human and monkey AIDS virus containing human interleukin genes that suppress immune response against viruses.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Prof. Joe Cummins 19th July 2001

Radical Solutions Needed for Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistant infectious diseases have created a public health crisis worldwide. The conventional reductionist approach is failing to cope.
Sam Burcher and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 25th June 2001

The Royal Society’s Soft Sell of GM Animals
The UK Royal Society Report on GM animals is supposed to consider scientific evidence. Instead, it takes a permissive, verging on partisan stance.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 11th June 2001

Kanamycin Still Used and Cross-Reacts with New Antibiotics
Kanamycin resistance genes are approved as selectable markers on grounds that the antibiotic is no longer in use. In fact kanamycin is still in use and crossreactions are commonplace.
Prof. Joe Cummins 28th May 2001

The Thalidomide of Genetic Engineering
By the end of the 1980s some millions of people, mostly in North America, were supplementing their diet with L-tryptophan
L R B Mann, D Straton & W E Crist 24th May 2001

Horizontal Gene Transfer Happens - II
The evidence for horizontal gene transfer is accumulating. MaeWan Ho reviews a selection of recent scientific papers.
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 8th May 2001

First GM Humans Already Created
Scientists have sidestepped regulators and created the first GM human beings, despite fierce public opposition
Prof. Joe Cummins and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 2nd May 2001

Where Genes Fail - Dietary Interventions for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s?
Senior NIH scientist Richard Veech is developing a promising approach that will involve dietary intervention
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 25th April 2001

Report on horizontal gene transfer - Department of Public Prosecution versus Gavin Harte and others, New Ross, Ireland March 22, 1999
General and specific hazards from the transgenic sugar beet released in the fieldtrial
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho 22nd March 1999

From BSE to GMOs - What Have We Learned? / Dr Harash Narang and BSE
Most of the world's 70 million acres of genetically modified crops are being fed to animals or processed into animal feed products. Furthermore, the biotech industry depends upon this market for its future viability.
Angela Ryan & Harash Narang

Naked and Free Nucleic Acids - Unregulated Hazards
A huge variety of naked/free nucleic acids are being produced in the laboratory and released unregulated into the environment. They are used as research tools, in industrial productions and in medical applications such as gene therapy and vaccines
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, Angela Ryan, Prof. Joe Cummins and Terje Traavik

Xenotransplantation - How Bad Science and Big Business Put the World at Risk from Viral Pandemics
a multi-billion dollar business venture built on the anticipated sale of patented techniques and organs, as well as drugs to overcome organ-rejection
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Prof. Joe Cummins