Legal Issues Stem Cells – StemCell Therapy

Crazy Bulk Testol 140 is a legal alternative to RAD 140 (testolone). It was created to offer bodybuilders and athletes the same muscle building benefits of the SARM with the side effects and the legal complications. This Testol-140 review covers all aspects of the product; what is it, what it does, what is in it and also provides some real Testol 140 reviews from customers that have used it.

Order Testol 140 Direct - Check Offers

6 Reasons to Use Testol 140?

Increases lean muscle mass naturally and safely

Helps muscle definition

Fires-up metabolism to burn excess fat

Can mimic rapid anabolic gains

Boosts natural testosterone levels

Legal to buy and use

At its most basic, Testol 140 is a testosterone booster. You may have guessed that by the name.

However, this is anything but a run-of-the-mill testosterone-boosting supplement. It was developed to provide bodybuilders with a safe alternative to a popular bodybuilding drug called Testolone, which is also often referred to by its original development code, RAD 140.

RAD 140 has much in common with anabolic steroids but there are differences. RAD 140 is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), not a steroid.

Testol 140 is neither a steroid nor a SARM, it's an all-natural supplement designed to increase testosterone levels sufficiently to deliver SARM and steroid-like benefits. It's also designed to be 100% safe. In case you haven't heard, SARMs and steroids are not.

In this Testol 140 review, we are going to put this legal and safe alternative underneath the microscope and see how good it really is. We are going to take a look at how it works, the way it compares to steroids and SARMs, and the abilities of the ingredients the supplement contains.

As and when necessary, we will reference scientific studies and research papers, all of which are available online. We will provide links to these at the bottom of the page.

However, before we begin evaluating the supplement and its ingredients, we will provide a little information about testosterone, steroids, SARMs, and the value all three have as muscle growth enhancers, along with the benefits they provide in other areas.

Testol 140 can also be used in a SARM bulking stack to improve results. The bulking stack includes other Crazy Bulk legal SARMs.

View SARM Bulking Stack Offers

"Great formula for helping to maintain lean muscle mass. Clean and don't give stomach cramps. Helped me cut fat and increase my muscle development after about a month on it."

"Im 37 and my testosterone levels were low and I couldn't gain muscle mass. I was tired all the time. Testol-140 saved my life!! I have more energy and stamina. I can see more muscle definition."

"Felt incredible while taking Testol-140. My mood was great and my energy lasted a lot longer. My workout routine lasts longer and I feel so much stronger."

"I'm a hard gainer, I find it difficult to put on muscle. Testol 140 helped me increase muscle mass and boosted my physical performance. I have so much more energy and staying power now."

"I am a powerlifter, taking Testol 140 made me blast through my plateau, I am lifting more than ever now"

"Been taking Testol-140 for about 4 months, I used a bulking stack with LGD 4033 and Ostarine MK 2866. I have tons more muscle power and muscular mass. I also use it in combo with some other supplements in a cutting stack, it really helps decrease body fat and fat reduction."

Check Verified Testol140 Reviews

Manufactured by Crazy Bulk - a leading supplement company that specializes in legal steroids, SARM and bodybuilding products.

Crazy Bulk has been in existence for around a decade. In this time Crazy Bulk has pretty much revolutionized the bodybuilding and muscle supplement industry. Nowadays you do not need to compromise your health for massive muscle gains. You can build lean muscle mass with natural ingredients just as quickly without subjecting your body to the harmful effects of anabolic steroids.

Testosterone is a steroid produced in the body. It's also the male sex hormone.

In its role as a steroid, testosterone aids muscle growth and repair, improves bone density, aids fat burning, provides invigoration, and even assists clear thinking. It's a busy bee.

In its role as an androgen hormone, testosterone is a key player in the many changes that occur during puberty and adolescence. Changes that transform little boys into men.

Men don't have a monopoly on testosterone. Women produce it in their bodies too but to a much lesser extent. The androgen hormone estrogen is the driving force in the female body but we don't need to delve too deeply into the various differences between the sexes here.

When men are low in testosterone, it can lead to many undesirable issues including reductions in bone and muscle mass. It can also cause loss of libido and interfere with a man's ability to have sex.

At the other end of the scale, higher testosterone levels can help men improve their overall body composition by fueling improvements in muscle mass and reductions in body fat.

Other potential benefits include increased energy, greater stamina, heightened sex drive, and improvements in sexual performance.

Most of these benefits are due to testosterone's ability to bind with androgen receptors.

Androgen receptors allow testosterone to react with muscle tissue. When they bind with the hormone it enhances protein synthesis and muscle gains.

Steroids and SARMs are chemical impostors that share testosterone's ability to bind with androgen receptors and improve muscle growth.

Selective androgen receptor modulators are reputed to be safer than steroids because they only bind with the androgen receptors in muscle and bone. However, all SARMs, including RAD 140, can present dangerous side effects. They are experimental drugs and should never be seen as safe.

Testolone is an investigative SARM created by Radius Health. The company name is the source of the "RAD" in the drug development code.

Like other true SARMs, it takes over the role of testosterone. This causes your body to produce less. The result of this is you cannot just stop using RAD 140. You need to follow your cycle with a post-cycle therapy (PCT) until your testosterone production comes back online.

However, animal-based research suggests the RAD 140 SARM may deliver notable improvements in muscle size. For this reason, it has become a very popular bodybuilding SARM.

Some bodybuilders use RAD 140 on its own. Far more cycle it alongside other SARMs and steroids, but it's not approved for human use. It remains an experimental drug. There may be significant dangers involved.

In 2020, Hepatology Communications published two cases of bodybuilders who suffered liver damage due to using this SARM. [1]

Testol 140 is the Crazy Bulk safe alternative to Testolone RAD 140. You may have heard of Crazy Bulk because the company gets a lot of respect for its range of safe and legal alternative steroid substitutes.

Instead of pushing your natural testosterone out of the way and replacing it with a synthetic alternative, Testol 140 helps your body increase testosterone production.

By doing this, the supplement makes extra testosterone available to bind with the androgen receptors in your muscles. This, of course, results in greater enhancements in protein synthesis - and SARM-like muscle growth.

Crazy Bulk tells its customers to expect the following results:

Safe increases in muscle mass and bulk

Greater exposure of your muscle mass

Fat loss

A natural testosterone boost

In this case, Crazy Bulk is selling its supplement short.

The key thing to remember here is that Testol 140 is a testosterone booster. That means, if you use it, you can expect all the benefits associated with higher testosterone production.

This may include improvements in libido and sexual performance, and improvements in cognitive function. As with the SARM it replaces, Testol 140 should also improve bone mineral density.

It can be used in a bulking stack and is accepted to be among the best bulking SARMs in existence.

Each (4-capsule) dose of Testol 140 provides nine ingredients in the following quantities:

Zinc (10 mg)

Magnesium (375 mg)

Vitamin B6 (1.4 mg)

Vitamin D3 (5 mcg)

Conjugated linoleic acid (1200 mg)

Fenugreek 4:1 (400 mg)

KSM-66 Ashwagandha extract 12:1 (300 mg)

Pomegranate whole fruit powder (300 mg)

Senactive (50 mg)

Please note Fenugreek and KSM-66 are provided here in concentrated form.

Fenugreek is concentrated to four times normal strength. That means the 400 mg the supplement contains is the equivalent of 1.6 grams of standard-strength fenugreek extract.

KSM-66 is 12 times normal strength so don't accept the 300 mg inclusion rate at face value. It's the equivalent of 3.6 grams of KSM-66 provided at normal strength.

Using concentrates like these allows Crazy Bulk to keep the size of the pills reasonably small.

Here is a deeper dive into the ingredients included in the Testol140 formula and what they actually do.

Zinc has a longstanding reputation as a testosterone booster. Data collected via numerous clinical trials confirm the important role this mineral plays in testosterone production.

Data from one study is particularly interesting. Some of the participants were young men in good health. The rest of the participants were elderly men who were marginally zinc deficient.

The scientists reduced zinc intake among the younger men, causing them to become zinc deficient. Although the induced deficiency was only slight, after 20 weeks, the young men were showing a significant drop in testosterone.

Meanwhile, the scientists gave the elderly men daily doses of zinc via supplements. After six months, the men's serum testosterone levels had almost doubled. [2]

Magnesium is another mineral that can boost testosterone. However, although zinc is present in most good testosterone-boosting supplements, magnesium is not - this is where Testol 140 has an advantage over competing SARM alternatives.

Magnesium may not be a popular choice with supplement manufacturers but it's great to see Crazy Bulk using it here. It's a perfect choice for a supplement that's aimed at men who like to lift weights. The results of one clinical trial, in particular, prove that this is so.

The researchers in charge of the study in question set out to explore the relationship between magnesium, exercise, and testosterone levels.

Some of the research subjects were men with sedentary lifestyles. The rest were taekwondo athletes who were training for 90-120 minutes each day.

Data from the study shows the magnesium supplements increased free and total testosterone levels in the men of both groups.

However, the increase was more notable among the athletic men. [3]

Vitamin B6 aids energy metabolism by helping the body extract energy from food. If you have ever noticed its presence in energy drinks and this has given you pause for thought, now you know why it is there.

You take Testol 140 before training so, it goes without saying, the vitamin B6 it provides may help empower your workout. However, vitamin B6 has value in multiple areas some of which may be particularly beneficial to bodybuilders and other athletes who like to train.

Research suggests vitamin B6 may play a role in protein synthesis. Results from one study that supports this theory suggest the vitamin may also increase testosterone uptake and sensitivity in the tissues. [4]

More recently, scientists have discovered vitamin B6 appears to have a favorable effect on the muscle stem cells that are a driving force in muscle regeneration. [5]

There are two forms of vitamin D available to supplement manufacturers - vitamin D2 and vitamin D3.

One form is plant-based. The other comes from animals. Testol 140 provides vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). That's the animal-based form. It's generally produced from sheep wool. However, regardless of its source, its presence in the formulation will make Testol 140 an unsatisfactory option for vegans and vegetarians.

Vitamin D has a longstanding association with improvements in testosterone. It also aids calcium absorption, helping to provide strong bones. In addition to doing these things, vitamin D assists good health in many other ways including supporting healthy immune function.

Even if you disregard its reputation as a testosterone booster, vitamin D is still a worthy inclusion for a formulation like this one. Research suggests a link between muscle strength and function. [6]

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid that's naturally occurring in meat and dairy products. Grass-fed beef is a particularly good source.

However, the CLA in supplements is plant-based. It's refined from safflower oil.

CLA does not boost testosterone. Nevertheless, it's a good addition to the Testol 140 formulation.

Although some testosterone boosters are designed for middle-aged men suffering from low testosterone, Testol 140 does not hang with that crowd. It's made for men who want to gain more muscle and have a superior physique.

Research shows CLA enhances fat-burning capability while also offering modest improvements in muscle mass. [7]

As a companion ingredient to the main testosterone boosters in the formulation, CLA is first-rate and Testol 140 provides a very generous dose.

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

With fewer inmates (and officers), Michigan closes another prison – Bridge Michigan

♫ Monday, September 12th, 2022

Prison facilities in Ionia and Adrian are shrinking this fall in the wake of a plummeting prison population and a crippling shortage of workers.

The consolidations wont result in layoffs, however. There are enough openings in prisons in each of the Michigan communities to absorb the employees of the mothballed facilities.

But these closures could just be a short-term solution to Michigans chronic corrections officer shortage.

At the end of the day, if [employee] attrition isnt addressed by the summer of 2023, were going to be in the same boat, said Byron Osborn, president of the Michigan Corrections Organization.

The Michigan Reformatory in Ionia will close in November, with the male prisoners now housed there moving to other facilities, according to a Michigan Department of Corrections announcement released Wednesday. In Adrian, the south side of the Gus Harrison Correctional Facility will be shuttered by November.

The consolidations will help address two problems: prison units that are underutilized because of a dropping prison population and a shortage of employees to operate all the current facilities. Currently, some of the states prison employees work mandatory overtime weekly. According to a Bridge Michigan story in July, some employees routinely worked 80 hours a week.

While these announcements are normally and understandably difficult on staff, in this instance, we know it may be welcome news to many, MDOC Director Heidi Washington said in a statement Wednesday. This will provide much-needed relief to our officers, nurses and other employees who have worked significant overtime shifts over the past few years.

With Wednesdays announcement, the states prison system now has 33 closed prison units.

Michigans prison population peaked with over 51,000 inmates in 2007. Today, the prison population is about 32,000, the lowest level in 30 years, according to the MDOC statement.

The states aging population has contributed to the decline as has a drop in the recidivism rate in the past two decades, from 45 percent of ex-cons returning to prison to about 24 percent.

MDOC spokesperson Chris Gautz said the new consolidations are unlike any other closures in recent memory because its likely that any displaced worker who wants to stay with the prison system will be able to continue to work in the same community at a neighboring facility. There are more job openings at Ionias three remaining prisons than workers at the soon-to-be-closed Michigan Reformatory.

Once those workers transfer to other facilities, mandatory overtime will decrease significantly, Gautz said. The Ionia state prison facilities each have an employee vacancy rate of about 25 percent.

This is really good news for Ionia (prison workers) who have been working a lot of mandated overtime, Gautz said.

Osborn, the union president and a corrections officer for 28 years, said that while his members in Ionia and Adrian will be relieved to have less mandatory overtime, other state prison facilities also face crippling staff shortages.

Jackson is worse than Ionia, Osborn told Bridge Michigan. We have six facilities in the U.P. that are all short (of prison officers). Were short everywhere.

Osborn praised MDOC director Washington for beefed-up recruitment efforts for new employees, but officers are quitting faster than they can be replaced.

People leave because they dont want to work double shifts and get beat up by prisoners, Osborn said. Its not a pleasant place to work.

He encouraged the Legislature to consider increased pay and benefits for prison employees to attract and retain officers.

This is going to be a six-month Band-Aid before our normal attrition rate eats up the gains, Osborn said.

Visit link:
With fewer inmates (and officers), Michigan closes another prison - Bridge Michigan

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Can California deliver on its zero-emission car goal? – Los Angeles Times

♫ Monday, September 12th, 2022

It was the sort of bold, climate-focused initiative that California has developed a reputation for an effective ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035.

But last months historic vote by the California Air Resources Board follows a number of sweeping state environmental actions that have met with varying degrees of success.

Now, as officials seek to fundamentally change Californias automotive culture thereby reducing its largest source of planet-warming carbon emissions and air pollution experts say those past initiatives may shed light on whether Californias nation-leading auto plan can work.

In Los Angeles, the dense smog that once smothered the city is regarded today as folklore. At its worst, between the 1950s and 1980s, the caustic haze was so thick that people could see only as far as a city block. It irritated peoples throats and lungs, and gave them bloodshot eyes. Back then, there were more than 200 days with unhealthy air annually, according to the Air Resources Board.

Since that time, there has been tremendous progress toward reducing smog and air pollution, much of it due to cleaner cars. The amount of smog-forming nitrogen oxides has been slashed by more than 50% in the last two decades, substantially improving public health.

But Californias progress in fighting air pollution has stagnated in recent decades, and the state is still home to the worst air pollution in the nation. The South Coast air basin Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and part of San Bernardino counties has yet to meet any federal health standards for ozone levels, including the oldest measure enacted in 1979.

If youre looking back 70 years, weve done a wonderful job, said Joe Lyou, president of the Coalition for Clean Air. If youre looking back over the last decade or two, not so good. And if youre looking at the legal standards that demand that we provide healthy air for people to breathe, were not doing well at all.

Global warming has further exacerbated the problem by fueling wildfires and conditions that are more conducive to smog formation.

Hazardous air pollution days are off the charts because of growth in climate-driven wildfires, said Will Barrett, national senior director for clean air advocacy for the American Lung Assn. We also know ozone is formed when tailpipe emissions and other emissions mix in the atmosphere on hot, sunny days. We are seeing more heat, more extreme weather events, creating better conditions for the formation of ozone and threatening health on the ground. These are dual crises. They stem from the same sources transportation sources.

But it was the states ability to tackle and solve a major smog crisis that gives some experts hope that it can also transform transportation.

The Air Resources Boards greatest claim to fame before the climate era was its role in creating and enforcing the adoption of catalytic converters and other technologies to reduce the emissions of smog-forming pollution, which was choking the major metropolitan centers in both the Bay Area and on the South Coast, said Danny Cullenward, policy director at the nonprofit climate research organization CarbonPlan. So the Air Resources Board as an institution really sort of cut its teeth, and was extraordinarily successful in earlier decades, in tackling just a massive problem that involved complicated technologies, powerful industries and issues that affected peoples everyday lives.

One of Californias landmark climate programs, cap-and-trade was initially launched in 2006 with the aim of reducing the states greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. It exceeded expectations, and in fact reached the target four years ahead of time.

In 2017, the program was reauthorized with a much more ambitious goal: Slashing greenhouse gas emissions to 40% of 1990 levels by 2030. To get there, the program uses a system of pollution credits that essentially lets large carbon emitters buy and sell unused credits with the aim of keeping everyone at or below a certain total.

Experts say it only sort of worked. While the program has remained a key element of Californias climate strategy, emissions were down about 11% in 2020 far from the 40% goal. Whats more, that number likely accounts for emissions reductions tied to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The evidence is pretty clear that were not on track for that target, and the reliance on this program is a big part of the reason why were not on track, Cullenward said.

Air Resources Board spokesman David Clegern said via email that the state has the policies in place to meet its target, but getting there means concerted action needs to happen on implementing policies to reduce transportation, short-lived climate pollutants, electricity and other emissions to achieve 2030.

The fact that the state achieved its 2020 goal four years early and the success of programs such as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and the addition of new programs means the role of cap-and-trade may be smaller in the future, but that will be evaluated after release of the 2020 Scoping Plan later this year, he said. The scoping plan is a roadmap for achieving carbon neutrality in the state, and is updated every five years.

Cullenward noted that the cap-and-trade program has some clear parallels to the advanced clean cars rule, including its plan to provide credits to auto manufacturers who sell more electric vehicles than theyre required to. However, there are also some key differences that made him more optimistic about the gas car bans prospects of success.

For one, he said, the Air Resources Board has historically had more strength as a regulator of mobile emission sources (such as cars) than of stationary ones such as factories and power plants, as evidenced by its earlier success with catalytic converters and smog reduction. Whats more, while the industries regulated by cap-and-trade are local, powerful and politically organized, the state has little in the way of combustion engine production.

Despite Californias green reputation, it remains the seventh-highest oil producing state in the nation, extracting about 358,000 barrels per day, according to state data.

However, oil production has been declining for decades, and the California Geologic Energy Management Division, or CalGEM, reported that more permits have been issued to plug and permanently seal existing wells than to drill new ones since 2019. The agency issued 564 new well permits in 2021, down from 1,917 in 2020 and 2,665 in 2019.

Some experts said thats not aggressive enough.

This transition cant happen too slowly, because there is a climate crisis, and there are significant public health impacts on frontline communities, said Bahram Fazeli, director of research and policy at Communities for a Better Environment.

Although there are ambitions to phase out Californias oil and gas production completely most recently, Gov. Gavin Newsom set his sights on 2045 there has yet to be an official deadline such as the one for the gas car ban.

But the state has made some efforts to control or reduce oil production, including a ban on new oil and gas wells within 3,200 feet of homes, schools and healthcare facilities. Newsom last summer also ordered a ban on new permits for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, beginning in 2024.

As we move to swiftly decarbonize our transportation sector and create a healthier future for our children, Ive made it clear I dont see a role for fracking in that future and, similarly, believe that California needs to move beyond oil, the governor said at the time.

Fazeli noted that a recent study out of the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that achieving that transition by 2045 is feasible in California, though it would require a significant investment: About $138 billion per year, according to the study. But the fossil fuel industry is, by nature, opposed to such an existential threat, Fazeli said, and even passing common sense legislation such as the 3,200-foot buffer zone has proven challenging.

Californias economy is not different from other economies the economy is a fossil fuel economy, he said. So California is going through this growing pain of, how do we become a clean energy economy? How do we transition from a fossil fuel economy to a clean energy economy, and also provide good paying jobs? Thats a key part of the puzzle.

Another part of the puzzle is balance, according to Kyle Meng, an associate professor of environmental economics at UC Santa Barbara.

When it comes to gasoline, you really need policies to deal with both the demand side like the new car ban and subsidies for EVs as well as the supply side, which is the production of oil, he said. One without the other would lead to unexpected, adverse consequences.

For example, reducing demand without supply could mean California ends up exporting its excess oil, Meng said, while reducing supply too quickly could leave communities that rely on the industry in bad shape. In Kern County, one of the states top producing regions, oil and gas extraction provide as much as 20% of the areas property tax revenue.

As in other sectors, equity remains a major concern, especially when it comes to the communities suffering the worst effects of oil and gas drilling, Meng said. But when considering the states climate efforts thus far, he said there has been good progress.

If you were to tell me that California would hit the states 2020 greenhouse gas goals back in 2005, I wouldnt have believed it. But California did it, he said. However, looking forward, the task for this decade is even more ambitious. The big open question is not just whether California can meet its 2030 greenhouse gas goals, but whether those goals are met in a way that doesnt exacerbate existing inequities across the state.

Although phasing out gas-powered cars is one of the states greatest priorities, that alone wont be enough. Driving habits must change, too, if the state expects to achieve carbon neutrality.

The state climate plan depends on motorists driving at least 12% fewer miles by 2030, and no fewer than 22% by 2045.

Since the advent of the automobile and the construction of the highway system, large cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco have become car-centric. Today, around 75% of daily commuting trips consist of one person driving with no passengers a practice that remains the primary mode of transportation in California.

Highway building and sprawl go hand in hand, said Susan Handy, a researcher at UC Davis who has studied strategies to reduce automobile dependence. Thats true in California, and its also true everywhere else. When we built highways, it made it possible to develop farther from city centers than ever before. And now were in a situation where weve got these sprawling development patterns and it makes it very hard to get around by means other than the car.

As the states population has risen and more cars are on the road, state officials funded highway construction and expansion to ease congestion, which ironically fostered more driving.

The only major significant decreases in miles driven occur during economic downturns and, recently, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 as more people have worked remotely. However, driving has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.

Public policy strategy to reduce driving has historically included gas tax hikes or tolls, which could serve as a deterrent. But the state could do better at investments and incentivizing other forms of transportation like biking and mass transit, Handy said.

Much of Californias plans have depended on providing financial incentives to trade in gas-powered cars for zero-emission vehicles. But some state officials have requested the state look into how driving behaviors might change if the state invests more in mass transit.

I think its tough, because were a car culture, right? Air Resources Board chair Liane Randolph said at a meeting in June. We know how to help people buy cars. What we dont know is how to help people change the culture so that they are able to ride public transit in a way thats economical and equitable and efficient for them to get to work and to school and wherever they need to go.

Infrastructure will play a huge role in Californias transition away from gas cars, multiple experts said. Charging stations will be needed to help power electric vehicles, and electricity will be needed to power those charging stations, among myriad considerations.

So far, the state has established many goals to help get there, including plans to construct at least 250,000 public vehicle charging stations by the middle of the decade; 10,000 of which should be fast chargers, according to the California Public Utilities Commission. The state also plans to require landlords of multifamily housing units to provide residents with a means to charge electric cars, though those details are still being worked out.

And its not only personal vehicles that will need the stations, but also the heavy-duty trucks that transport goods throughout the state every day. The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have the goal of being serviced exclusively by zero-emission trucks by 2035, but they have a long way to go: Only 35 of the 22,000 trucks that serve the port complex are electric, battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell, according to data from their clean truck program.

Though the state has made efforts to streamline the permit process for charging stations, mapping tools show huge gaps in their locations, particularly in inland Central California and far Northern California.

Were nowhere close to where we need to be on infrastructure, especially charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, electric trucks, electric buses, electric off-road equipment, said Lyou, of the Coalition for Clean Air. And its emerged as the most challenging thing we have to do.

Another part of the problem is that recharging the batteries of electric cars and trucks could also lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions, depending on where that energy is coming from.

If youre talking about California trying to move its emissions from gasoline cars into EVs, youre talking about probably doubling the amount of electricity demand on the grid, said Meng, of UC Santa Barbara. Wheres that going to come from? You could imagine large utility-scale solar in places like Kern County, but with the laws as theyre written now, its very hard for Kern County to get property tax benefits from a solar farm than it could from oil drilling.

Excerpt from:
Can California deliver on its zero-emission car goal? - Los Angeles Times

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Researchers revive abandoned technique in effort to make artificial human eggs in a test tube – STAT

♫ Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022

In a little-noticed study published earlier this year, scientists from Oregon Health & Science University reported the birth of three mouse pups that had been created with a never-before-used recipe for reproduction. Using a common cloning technique, researchers removed the genetic material from one females eggs and replaced them with nuclear DNA from the skin cells of another. Then with a novel chemical cocktail, they nudged the eggs to lose half their new sets of chromosomes and fertilized them with mouse sperm.

In a big step toward achieving in vitro gametogenesis one of reproductive medicines more ambitious moonshots the group led by pioneering fertility researcher Shoukrat Mitalipov now intends to use the same method to make artificial human embryos in a test tube.

If successful, the research holds enormous potential for treating infertility, preventing heritable diseases, and opening up the possibility for same-sex couples to have genetically related children.

Its one of those high-risk, high reward type of projects, said Paula Amato, an OB-GYN and infertility specialist at OHSU who collects the human eggs used in Mitalipovs experiments. We have no idea yet if it will work, but age-related fertility decline remains an intractable problem in our field, so were eternally grateful to these private funders who are filling a real need here.

Mitalipov directs the Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy at OHSU. Established in 2013, the center focuses on combining assisted reproductive technologies with genetic correction techniques, with the goal of one day preventing inherited disease.

The groups work on in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) in human cells is being made possible by an award from Open Philanthropy a grant-making organization primarily funded by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife Cari Tuna which will supply the researchers with $4 million over the next three years. The infusion of funds and the involvement of a scientist as storied as Mitalipov makes the ethical and legal questions surrounding mass egg and sperm production more urgent, experts told STAT.

In the U.S., there are no federal laws that prohibit this type of IVG work. However, Congress has barred any research that creates, destroys, or knowingly harms human embryos from receiving federal funding. At the state level, laws governing human embryo research vary widely with 11 states banning it entirely, five states expressly permitting it, and a lot of gray areas in between.

For IVG to move from the research lab to a fertility clinic would require permission from the Food and Drug Administration. Its still unclear if thats something the agency would be able to consider a spending bill rider currently prevents the FDA from receiving any requests to pursue clinical trials involving starting pregnancies with embryos that have been genetically manipulated. In 2019, Congress considered modifying the ban, following a push from scientists and advocates of mitochondrial replacement therapy, also known as three-person IVF, but ultimately renewed it. Mitochondrial replacement therapy is a procedure that combines genetic material from an egg and sperm with mitochondria from a female donor.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer for IVG could fall under the same provision, if the somatic DNA and the egg came from different people. But if they came from the same person, that might represent a loophole.

Some bioethicists worry that the easy availability of IVG could usher in a new era of eugenics, scenarios where prospective parents could create large numbers of embryos and use genetic tools to select the best one. IVG also raises the specter of nonconsensual parenthood something most state laws are currently ill-equipped to handle.

Should this become clinically available, there will be legitimate questions about whose cells can be used and under what conditions that will need regulatory answers, said Hank Greely, director of the Stanford Center for Law and Bioscience, whose book, The End of Sex, examines the future of in vitro gametogenesis. Will that happen? We dont know. But Mitalipov has certainly proven himself a bold and creative scientist, and from my perspective, having his group join the effort to help people who want to have genetic babies but cant is a good thing, provided they can do it safely and effectively.

Mitalipovs lab has long been an incubator for envelope-pushing science. In 2009, he and his colleagues figured out a way to swap out glitchy mitochondrial DNA for healthy versions in the egg cells of monkeys a groundbreaking advance that paved the way for mitochondrial replacement therapy in humans. In 2013, they created lines of embryonic stem cells from cloned human embryos for the first time. A few years later, they became the first team in the U.S. to attempt to correct a genetic mutation in viable human embryos using CRISPR.

But until recently, in vitro gametogenesis, or IVG, wasnt on his to-do list.

Gametes are the cells capable of giving rise to future generations: sperm and eggs. The idea behind IVG is to produce those kinds of cells in test tubes, rather than inside a developing animals body.

In recent years, scientists have made headlines producing artificial gametes from induced pluripotent stem cells. But Mitalipovs group plans to revive a much older technology, which saw some early success in IVG before being abandoned: somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer was pioneered by researchers at the Roslin Institute in Scotland. After they succeeded in using the technique to clone the first mammal a sheep named Dolly scientists realized it might be used to generate artificial gametes, if they could overcome a few additional hurdles.

In cloning, the emptied egg receives a full set of chromosomes from the somatic cell donor and is stimulated in the lab to make it start dividing. Any offspring that result will be genetically identical to that somatic cell.

The procedure for making an artificial oocyte is technically similar to cloning, but would generate unique individuals after fertilization with sperm. However, in order for any resulting embryos to have the right number of chromosomes, the donor DNA has to be cut in half, a process known as haploidization. Oocytes are equipped with the machinery to make that adjustment, if the somatic DNA is introduced at the right phase of their cell cycle.

In 2000, four years after Dolly was born, researchers in Spain generated the first human artificial oocytes using this method. They fertilized three of them, and froze the resulting embryos at the two-cell stage. The plan was to transfer the frozen embryos to the uterus of a woman who had been unable to conceive, and consented to having her somatic DNA slipped into donor eggs as a last-ditch attempt to have genetically related children with her husband.

But when the same protocol was tested in mice where its effects could be examined more closely the chromosomes didnt separate as intended. Shortly thereafter, somatic cell nuclear transfer for human reproduction was banned in many countries, including Spain.

The IVG field moved on, buoyed by the discovery a few years later of a method for taking any kind of cell and rewinding its developmental clock to a more primitive state. With the right chemical cues, a team of Japanese scientists nudged these pluripotent stem cells to produce functional gametes in mice; first sperm in 2011, then eggs, five years later. But they struggled to generate similar results in humans.

In 2018, the group succeeded for the first time in making immature human eggs from scratch. But the process wasnt very efficient and it involved incubating the human stem cells in mini-ovaries theyd created in the lab from mouse embryonic cells a resource-intensive process not exactly suited to mass manufacturing.

So when a post-doc at OHSU named Eunju Kang proposed revisiting the idea of somatic cell nuclear transfer for IVG, Mitalipov was initially skeptical. But data from her initial mouse experiments proved persuasive. Mitalipov threw his support behind the project, and teamed up with a group at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, including reproductive endocrinologist Gianpiero Palermo, who had successfully generated artificial human oocytes using cloning technology back in 2002. They published the results of their mice experiments in Nature Communications Biology in January.

The OHSU team is now adapting those methods to see if they can generate artificial human eggs with properly separated chromosomes. If successful, they plan to then fertilize those eggs with sperm and grow the resulting embryos in the lab for five or six days to see if they develop normally.

They are betting that this method, while older, will prove better than the induced pluripotent stem cell technologies currently being advanced by artificial egg-making start-up outfits like Conception, Ivy Natal and Gameto.

That approach requires the cells to be cultured for months rather than days, which can lead to epigenetic programming errors and chromosomal instability. Mitalipov also believes that starting with natural eggs will make it easier to strip the donor DNA of its cellular memory and return it to the primitive state known as totipotency a critical step in enabling the embryo to eventually develop all the specialized tissues that make up a human body.

See the article here:
Researchers revive abandoned technique in effort to make artificial human eggs in a test tube - STAT

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

‘Incredibly prejudicial’: Why Sacramento courts have caged cells, and why that’ll change – Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

♫ Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022

SACRAMENTO, Calif. The steel-bar cells inside the courtrooms of Sacramento County Main Jails Patino Justice Center and Gordon Schaber Courthouse are some of the busiest spaces in a bustling Sacramento Superior Court. The cells are as much a part of the courtrooms as the judges bench or jurors box.

Eight courtrooms in all have cells within their courtrooms: Departments 4, 5, 8 and 9 on the second floor of the Schaber Courthouse at 720 9th St., and Departments 60 through 63 in the main jails Patino courts on I Street.

But as the framework of a towering new 17-story, 53-courtroom courthouse rises behind the jail courts near the citys Railyard district, lingering questions of the cells utility, and resultant issues of equity, fairness and attorney access have re-emerged.

The lock-and-key bays will soon give way to plexiglass docks at the new Sacramento County Courthouse, scheduled to be completed in November 2023, but concerns remain. Schematics of the new Sacramento courthouse provided to The Sacramento Bee by court officials give a preview of courtrooms and in-court confinement.

Six courtrooms will have arraignment docks within the courtroom. Each will be approximately 20 feet wide by 6 feet deep, the schematics show; Schabers and Patinos bars replaced with the new facilitys plexiglass.

Its incredibly prejudicial for people viewing it family, neighbors, victims, said Sacramento attorney and former federal public defender Mark Reichel. Hes in orange. Hes in a cage. Hes like some kind of monster.

Criminal defendants are granted the right under the Constitution to confront accusers and witnesses against them in criminal proceedings. The Judicial Council of Californias standards for the states trial court facilities lay out clear objectives for transporting and accommodating defendants held in custody while in the courthouse.

Provide a safe and secure environment for transporting and accommodating jail inmates while in the courthouse.

Maintain the safety and welfare of the judiciary, court staff and public in the courthouse.

Prevent contraband from coming into the building.

The Sheriffs Office manages all in-custody holding and sets protocols for how inmates are held.

Courthouses must be a safe harbor to which members of the public come to resolve disputes that often are volatile. Once courthouses themselves are perceived as dangerous, the integrity and efficacy of the entire judicial process are in jeopardy, Ronald M. George, former chief justice of California, once said.

But the arraignment cells, whether steel bars or a plexiglass box, also expose troubling equity concerns, striking an unfair balance between safety and defendants rights, defense attorneys and criminal justice advocates say.

Each day, a steady stream of orange-clad county inmates held on suspicion of minor offenses to more serious crimes stand, for lack of bail, inside the 7-by-3-foot cages of the existing Sacramento courts. They consult briefly through the bars with their attorneys, await a judges reading of the charges they face, the date of their next court appearance or, if they have entered a plea, the sentence they will receive.

A printed sign taped to the bars warns spectators: No communication of any kind with inmates. Its against the law.

In Sacramento Superior Court, poor or indigent in-custody defendants who cannot post bail make their initial court appearances behind the bars of an arraignment courtrooms cell. The equity issue that poses is one reason why advocates California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, a statewide association of criminal defense attorneys, has opposed cash bail.

There is an adverse effect because of the appearance of the defendant behind bars, said attorney Stephen Munkelt, executive director of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice. Munkelt said the cells also point to more systemic issues in criminal justice.

CACJ believes the right to liberty has been severely undervalued by the court in the last 40 years (beginning) with the War on Drugs, the decadeslong campaign to stem the illegal drug trade in the U.S., to deleterious effect on Black and brown communities from long prison sentences for non-violent drug offenders to mass incarceration.

Before that, judges understood the right to liberty. People were released pretrial, Munkelt said. Over time, he said, public and political attitudes and media coverage of crime and criminal justice have worked to influence the bench.

It is an ongoing and systemic issue, he said.

Sacramento courts leaders had long argued for a new, modern courthouse to replace the Schaber courthouse, a building for years seen as cramped, obsolete and unsafe. The downtown arraignment cells on Ninth Street and on I Street are among the relics that have long been part of the judicial routine in Sacramento Superior Court.

With new courthouses in Yolo, Placer, Sutter and San Joaquin counties opening in recent years, the arraignment cells inside Sacramentos courtrooms are among the last holdovers from an earlier era. But other local courts, for years, have had their own troubled history.

Yolo County jail inmates as late as 2015 were shepherded in chain gangs from a sheriffs holding facility and through the crowded corridors of the countys century-old courthouse on Court Street. The procession was both a security risk to the court-attending public and an injustice to the inmates facing criminal charges.

Its prejudicial to be chained up in those striped uniforms and led across the street. Its a perp walk, Woodland attorney Steven Sabbadini said in a 2014 interview, as construction was beginning on the new Yolo courthouse. When theyre walking through the halls, its not a good thing for them, for jurors, for witnesses and alleged victims or for family members.

But the cells are also likely a reflection of attitudes on courtroom security and in-courtroom confinement at the time construction of the Patino courtrooms was completed in 1989; and the influence more broadly of county sheriffs officials in the design of court facilities, Munkelt said.

Its a sign of political power and delegation of responsibilities to the sheriff and security staff, Munkelt said. When designers go to construction, the sheriff has basically designed them. The state of the art at the time (that Schaber was built) was to put (inmates) in a box. Im sure thats how it came about.

Sheriffs offices today continue to exert great influence on courthouse security.

Sacramento County sheriffs deputies, as well sheriffs offices as in nearly all of Californias 58 counties marshals in the case of two counties supply courthouses bailiffs and courtroom security, according to the Judicial Council of California, which oversees the states superior courts.

That is as far as the Sheriffs Offices responsibility goes, said Lt. Rodney Grassmann, a Sacramento County sheriffs spokesman. Legislation enacted 20 years ago, the Superior Court Law Enforcement Act of 2002, calls for the presiding judge of each court to contract with the countys sheriff or marshal for the necessary level of law enforcement services subject to the courts available funding.

The courthouse buildings, including the arraignment cells, are the responsibility of the Superior Court, Grassmann said.

But officials at the Judicial Council of California say sheriffs offices play a much greater role, working closely with the court, courthouse designers and the design teams security consultants, to define security operations, procedures, and staffing levels proposed for the new courthouse.

The superior court relies on the sheriff to provide bailiffs and courtroom security, so they have a large amount of influence on how the courts are run and that leads to ongoing problems that concern myself and other criminal defense lawyers, Munkelt said. He says the defense bar should also have some input into how courthouses are designed but says the ability to influence those construction details is extremely limited.

Today at Yolo Superior Courts new Main Street courthouse in Woodland, a basement holding facility holds as many as 140 inmates, with secure elevators to transport those in custody to hearings and trial.

The chain gangs parades through crowded hallways are over. New inmate docks enclosed in plexiglass are now standard equipment in the Woodland courthouses arraignment courts.

The old Yolo courthouse was just not big enough to accommodate a growing county, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, said in 2015 upon the opening of the new five-story facility. Its not safe we had chain gangs going up and down the hallways, Reisig said. The new downtown courthouse, he said, was modern, consolidated, high-tech.

At Placer Superior Courts Santucci Justice Center in Roseville, its Department 20 inside the South Placer Adult Correctional Facility opened in 2018. It replaced the tiny, cramped and now-closed Department 13 shoehorned inside Placer County Jail in Auburn. Department 20 features the plexiglass-enclosed arraignment dock standard now in newly built courthouses.

Serious matters are heard in courtrooms. Whether you are here as someone who has been charged with a crime or as a victim or victims relative, legal proceedings need to be done in a dignified, safe and efficient manner, then-Placer Superior Court Presiding Judge Alan V. Pineschi said upon Department 20s debut. Our new Department 20 will provide for that.

Munkelt recalls the construction and opening of Department 20.

Department 20 was built with a large plexiglass box to seat inmates, Munkelt said. When they finished the courtroom and started using it, they said, Its all ready to go.

Only, Munkelt said, attorneys could not communicate through the glass with their clients.

We said, Thats illegal. If the attorney and defendant cant speak to each other.... he said. The defendant had to be out of the box, so we set up a method to speak to them.

Munkelt successfully argued the right of defendants to have face-to-face jail visits with their attorneys before the states Third District Court of Appeal, a decision that has since been used to argue to provide similar access in new California courtrooms.

The appeals court in its 2015 decision, County of Nevada v. Superior Court, ruled that Nevada County Sheriffs Department unconstitutionally barred attorneys and their clients from meeting in jail visiting rooms without glass partitions under the guise of safety and security concerns.

Several inmates wanted to restore the face-to-face contact visits in non-partitioned rooms as had been the practice for years at Nevada Countys Wayne Brown Correctional Facility.

The Nevada Sheriffs Office and other law enforcement organizations across California opposed it on various grounds but appeals judges ruled in favor of defense attorneys and their clients.

Any kind of barrier is a barrier to communication, Munkelt told The Bee. That decision was used in a number of new (courthouse) construction cases. That doesnt mean the problem is solved.

2022 The Sacramento Bee. Visit sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

See the original post here:
'Incredibly prejudicial': Why Sacramento courts have caged cells, and why that'll change - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Ethical Issues in Stem Cell Research – PubMed Central (PMC)

♫ Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

Endocr Rev. 2009 May; 30(3): 204213.

Program in Medical Ethics, the Division of General Internal Medicine, and the Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143

Received 2008 Jul 10; Accepted 2009 Mar 10.

[RPHR Note]

GUID:F71CC505-D7C5-47E1-80B3-6CCCEC708051

GUID:3FA9B56E-7CE3-49CF-9AB9-C46497FDE547

Stem cell research offers great promise for understanding basic mechanisms of human development and differentiation, as well as the hope for new treatments for diseases such as diabetes, spinal cord injury, Parkinsons disease, and myocardial infarction. However, human stem cell (hSC) research also raises sharp ethical and political controversies. The derivation of pluripotent stem cell lines from oocytes and embryos is fraught with disputes about the onset of human personhood. The reprogramming of somatic cells to produce induced pluripotent stem cells avoids the ethical problems specific to embryonic stem cell research. In any hSC research, however, difficult dilemmas arise regarding sensitive downstream research, consent to donate materials for hSC research, early clinical trials of hSC therapies, and oversight of hSC research. These ethical and policy issues need to be discussed along with scientific challenges to ensure that stem cell research is carried out in an ethically appropriate manner. This article provides a critical analysis of these issues and how they are addressed in current policies.

I. Introduction

II. Multipotent Stem Cells

III. Embryonic Stem Cell Research

A. Existing embryonic stem cell lines

B. New embryonic stem cell lines from frozen embryos

C. Ethical concerns about oocyte donation for research

IV. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT)

V. Fetal Stem Cells

VI. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS Cells)

VII. Stem Cell Clinical Trials

VIII. Institutional Oversight of Stem Cell Research

STEM CELL RESEARCH offers great promise for understanding basic mechanisms of human development and differentiation, as well as the hope for new treatments for diseases such as diabetes, spinal cord injury, Parkinsons disease, and myocardial infarction (1). Pluripotent stem cells perpetuate themselves in culture and can differentiate into all types of specialized cells. Scientists plan to differentiate pluripotent cells into specialized cells that could be used for transplantation.

However, human stem cell (hSC) research also raises sharp ethical and political controversies. The derivation of pluripotent stem cell lines from oocytes and embryos is fraught with disputes regarding the onset of human personhood and human reproduction. Several other methods of deriving stem cells raise fewer ethical concerns. The reprogramming of somatic cells to produce induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) avoids the ethical problems specific to embryonic stem cells. With any hSC research, however, there are difficult dilemmas, including consent to donate materials for hSC research, early clinical trials of hSC therapies, and oversight of hSC research (2). Table 1 summarizes the ethical issues that arise at different phases of stem cell research.

Ethical issues at different phases of stem cell research

Adult stem cells and cord blood stem cells do not raise special ethical concerns and are widely used in research and clinical care. However, these cells cannot be expanded in vitro and have not been definitively shown to be pluripotent.

Hematopoietic stem cells from cord blood can be banked and are widely used for allogenic and autologous stem cell transplantation in pediatric hematological diseases as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation.

Adult stem cells occur in many tissues and can differentiate into specialized cells in their tissue of origin and also transdifferentiate into specialized cells characteristic of other tissues. For example, hematopoietic stem cells can differentiate into all three blood cell types as well as into neural stem cells, cardiomyocytes, and liver cells.

Adult stem cells can be isolated through plasmapheresis. They are already used to treat hematological malignancies and to modify the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. Furthermore, autologous stem cells are being used in clinical trials in patients who have suffered myocardial infarction. Their use in several other conditions has not been validated or is experimental, despite some claims to the contrary (3).

Pluripotent stem cell lines can be derived from the inner cell mass of the 5- to 7-d-old blastocyst. However, human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research is ethically and politically controversial because it involves the destruction of human embryos. In the United States, the question of when human life begins has been highly controversial and closely linked to debates over abortion. It is not disputed that embryos have the potential to become human beings; if implanted into a womans uterus at the appropriate hormonal phase, an embryo could implant, develop into a fetus, and become a live-born child.

Some people, however, believe that an embryo is a person with the same moral status as an adult or a live-born child. As a matter of religious faith and moral conviction, they believe that human life begins at conception and that an embryo is therefore a person. According to this view, an embryo has interests and rights that must be respected. From this perspective, taking a blastocyst and removing the inner cell mass to derive an embryonic stem cell line is tantamount to murder (4).

Many other people have a different view of the moral status of the embryo, for example that the embryo becomes a person in a moral sense at a later stage of development than fertilization. Few people, however, believe that the embryo or blastocyst is just a clump of cells that can be used for research without restriction. Many hold a middle ground that the early embryo deserves special respect as a potential human being but that it is acceptable to use it for certain types of research provided there is good scientific justification, careful oversight, and informed consent from the woman or couple for donating the embryo for research (5).

Opposition to hESC research is often associated with opposition to abortion and with the pro-life movement. However, such opposition to stem cell research is not monolithic. A number of pro-life leaders support stem cell research using frozen embryos that remain after a woman or couple has completed infertility treatment and that they have decided not to give to another couple. This view is held, for example, by former First Lady Nancy Reagan and by U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch.

On his Senate website, Sen. Hatch states: The support of embryonic stem cell research is consistent with pro-life, pro-family values.

I believe that human life begins in the womb, not a Petri dish or refrigerator . To me, the morality of the situation dictates that these embryos, which are routinely discarded, be used to improve and save lives. The tragedy would be in not using these embryos to save lives when the alternative is that they would be discarded (6).

In 2001, President Bush, who holds strong pro-life views, allowed federal National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for stem cell research using embryonic stem cell lines already in existence at the time, while prohibiting NIH funding for the derivation or use of additional embryonic stem cell lines. This policy was a response to a growing sense that hESC research held great promise for understanding and treating degenerative diseases, while still opposing further destruction of human embryos. NIH funding was viewed by many researchers as essential for attracting scientists to make a long-term commitment to study the basic biology of stem cells; without a strong basic science platform, therapeutic breakthroughs would be less likely.

President Bushs rationale for this policy was that the embryos from which these lines were produced had already been destroyed. Allowing research to be carried out on the stem cell lines might allow some good to come out of their destruction. However, using only existing embryonic stem cell lines is scientifically problematic. Originally, the NIH announced that over 60 hESC lines would be acceptable for NIH funding. However, the majority of these lines were not suitable for research; for example, they were not truly pluripotent, had become contaminated, or were not available for shipping. As of January 2009, 22 hESC lines are eligible for NIH funding. However, these lines may not be safe for transplantation into humans, and long-standing lines have been shown to accumulate mutations, including several known to predispose to cancer. In addition, concerns have been raised about the consent process for the derivation of some of these NIH-approved lines (7). The vast majority of scientific experts, including the Director of the NIH under President Bush, believe that a lack of access to new embryonic stem cell lines hinders progress toward stem cell-based transplantation (8). For example, lines from a wider range of donors would allow more patients to receive human leukocyte agent matched stem cell transplants (9).

Currently, federal funds may not be used to derive new embryonic stem cell lines or to work with hESC lines not on the approved NIH list. NIH-funded equipment and laboratory space may not be used for research on nonapproved hESC lines. Both the derivation of new hESC lines and research with hESC lines not approved by NIH may be carried out under nonfederal funding. Because of these restrictions on NIH funding, a number of states have established programs to fund stem cell research, including the derivation of new embryonic stem cell lines. California, for example, has allocated $3 billion over 10 yr to stem cell research.

Under President Obama, it is expected that federal funding will be made available to carry out research with hESC lines not on the NIH list and to derive new hESC lines from frozen embryos donated for research after a woman or couple using in vitro fertilization (IVF) has determined they are no longer needed for reproductive purposes. However, federal funding may not be permitted for creation of embryos expressly for research or for derivation of stem cell lines using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) (10,11).

Women and couples who undergo infertility treatment often have frozen embryos remaining after they complete their infertility treatment. The disposition of these frozen embryos is often a difficult decision for them to make (12). Some choose to donate these remaining embryos to research rather than giving them to another couple for reproductive purposes or destroying them. Several ethical concerns come into play when a frozen embryo is donated, including informed consent from the woman or couple donating the embryo, consent from gamete donors involved in the creation of the embryo, and the confidentiality of donor information.

Since the Nuremburg Code, informed consent has been regarded as a basic requirement for research with human subjects. Consent is particularly important in research with human embryos (13). Members of the public and potential donors of embryos for research hold strong and diverse opinions on the matter. Some consider all embryo research to be unacceptable; others only support some forms of research. For instance, a person might consider infertility research acceptable but object to research to derive stem cell lines or research that might lead to patents or commercial products (14). Obtaining informed consent for potential future uses of the donated embryo respects this diversity of views. Additionally, people commonly place special emotional and moral significance on their reproductive materials, compared with other tissues (15).

In the United States, federal regulations on research permit a waiver of informed consent for the research use of deidentified biological materials that cannot be linked to donors (16). Thus, logistically it would be possible to carry out embryo and stem cell research on deidentified materials without consent. For example, during IVF procedures, oocytes that fail to fertilize or embryos that fail to develop sufficiently to be implanted are ordinarily discarded. These materials could be deidentified and then used by researchers. Furthermore, if infertility patients have frozen embryos remaining after they complete treatment, they are routinely contacted by the IVF program to decide whether they want to continue to store the embryos (and to pay freezer storage fees), to donate them to another infertile woman or couple, or to discard them. If a patient chooses to discard the embryos, it would be possible to instead remove identifiers and use them for research. Still another possibility involves frozen embryos from patients who do not respond to requests to make a decision regarding the disposition of frozen embryos. Some IVF practices have a policy to discard such embryos and inform patients of this policy when they give consent for the IVF procedures. Again, rather than discard such frozen embryos, it is logistically feasible to deidentify them and give them to researchers.

However, the ethical justifications for allowing deidentified biological materials to be used for research without consent do not always hold for embryo research (13). For example, one rationale for allowing the use of deidentified materials is that the ethical risks are very low; there can be no breach of confidentiality, which is the main concern in this type of research. A second rationale is that people would not object to having their materials used in such a manner if they were asked. However, this assumption does not necessarily hold in the context of embryo research. A 2007 study found that 49% of women with frozen embryos would be willing to donate them for research (12). Such donors might be offended or feel wronged if their frozen embryos were used for research that they did not consent to. Deidentifying the materials would not address their concerns.

Frozen embryos may be created with sperm or oocytes from donors who do not participate any further in assisted reproduction or childrearing. Some people argue that consent from gamete donors is not required for embryo research because they have ceded their right to direct further usage of their gametes to the artificial reproductive technology (ART) patients. However, gamete donors who are willing to help women and couples bear children may object to the use of their genetic materials for research. In one study, 25% of women who donated oocytes for infertility treatment did not want the embryos created to be used for research (17). This percentage is not unexpected because reproductive materials have special significance, and many people in the United States oppose embryo research. Little is known about the wishes of sperm donors concerning research.

There are substantial practical differences between obtaining consent for embryo research from oocyte donors and from sperm donors. ART clinics can readily discuss donation for research with oocyte donors during visits for oocyte stimulation and retrieval. However, most ART clinics obtain donor sperm from sperm banks and generally have no direct contact with the donors. Furthermore, sperm is often donated anonymously to sperm banks, with strict confidentiality provisions.

As a matter of respect for gamete donors, their wishes regarding stem cell derivation should be determined and respected (13). Gamete donors who are willing to help women and couples bear children may object to the use of their genetic materials for research. Specific consent for stem cell research from both embryo and gamete donors was recommended by the National Academy of Sciences 2005 Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and has been adopted by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state agency funding stem cell research (18,19). This consent requirement need not imply that embryos are people or that gametes or embryos are research subjects.

Confidentiality must be carefully protected in embryo and hESC research because breaches of confidentiality might subject donors to unwanted publicity or even harassment by opponents of hESC research (20). Although identifying information about donors must be retained in case of audits by the Food and Drug Administration as part of the approval process for new therapies, concerns about confidentiality may deter some donors from agreeing to be recontacted.

Recently, confidentiality of personal health care information has been violated through deliberate breaches by staff, through break-ins by computer hackers, and through loss or theft of laptop computers. Files containing the identities of persons whose gametes or embryos were used to derive hESC lines should be protected through heightened security measures (20). Any computer storing such files should be locked in a secure room and password-protected, with access limited to a minimum number of individuals on a strict need-to-know basis. Entry to the computer storage room should also be restricted by means of a card-key, or equivalent system, that records each entry. Audit trails of access to the information should be routinely monitored for inappropriate access. The files with identifiers should be copy-protected and double encrypted, with one of the keys held by a high-ranking institutional official who is not involved in stem cell research. The computer storing these data should not be connected to the Internet. To protect information from subpoena, investigators should obtain a federal Certificate of Confidentiality. Human factors in breaches of confidentiality should also be considered. Personnel who have access to these identifiers might receive additional background checks, interviews, and training. The personnel responsible for maintaining this confidential database and contacting any donor should not be part of any research team.

hESC research using fresh oocytes donated for research raises several additional ethical concerns as well, as we next discuss (21).

Concerns about oocyte donation specifically for research are particularly serious in the wake of the Hwang scandal in South Korea, in which widely hailed claims of deriving human SCNT lines were fabricated. In addition to scientific fraud, the scandal involved inappropriate payments to oocyte donors, serious deficiencies in the informed consent process, undue influence on staff and junior scientists to serve as donors, and an unacceptably high incidence of medical complications from oocyte donation (22,23,24). In California, some legislators and members of the public have charged that infertility clinics downplay the risks of oocyte donation (19). CIRM has put in place several protections for women donating oocytes in state-funded stem cell research.

The medical risks of oocyte retrieval include ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, bleeding, infection, and complications of anesthesia (25). These risks may be minimized by the exclusion of donors at high-risk for these complications, careful monitoring of the number of developing follicles, and adjusting the dose of human chorionic gonadotropin administered to induce ovulation or canceling the cycle (25).

Because severe hyperovulation syndrome may require hospitalization or surgery, women donating oocytes for research should be protected against the costs of complications of hormonal stimulation and oocyte retrieval (19). The United States does not have universal health insurance. As a matter of fairness, women who undergo an invasive procedure for the benefit of science and who are not receiving payment beyond expenses should not bear any costs for the treatment of complications. Even if a woman has health insurance, copayments and deductibles might be substantial, and if she later applied for individual-rated health insurance, her premiums might be prohibitive. Compensation for research injuries has been recommended by several U.S. panels (26) but has not been adopted because of difficulties calculating long-term actuarial risk and assessing intervening factors that could contribute to or cause adverse events.

Requiring free care for short-term complications of oocyte donation is feasible. In California, research institutions must ensure free treatment to oocyte donors for direct and proximate medical complications of oocyte retrieval in state-funded research. The term direct and proximate is a legal concept to determine how closely an injury needs to be connected to an event or condition to assign responsibility for the injury to the person who carried out the event or created the condition. Commercial insurance policies are available to cover short-term complications of oocyte retrieval. CIRM allows state stem cell grants to cover the cost of such insurance. The rationale for making research institutions responsible for treatment is that they are in a better position than individual researchers to identify insurance policies and would have an incentive to consider extending such coverage to other research injuries.

If women in infertility treatment share oocytes with researcherseither their own oocytes or those from an oocyte donortheir prospect of reproductive success may be compromised because fewer oocytes are available for reproductive purposes (21). In this situation, the physician carrying out oocyte retrieval and infertility care should give priority to the reproductive needs of the patient in IVF. The highest quality oocytes should be used for reproductive purposes (21).

As discussed in Section B. 2, in IVF programs some oocytes fail to fertilize, and some embryos fail to develop sufficiently to be implanted. Such materials may be donated to researchers. To protect the reproductive interests of donors, several safeguards should be in place (20). For the donation of fresh embryos for research, the determination by the embryologist that an embryo is not suitable for implantation and therefore should be discarded is a matter of judgment. Similarly, the determination that an oocyte has failed to fertilize and thus cannot be used for reproduction is a judgment call. To avoid any conflict of interest, the embryologist should not know whether a woman has agreed to research donation and also should receive no funding from grants associated with the research. Furthermore, the treating infertility physicians should not know whether or not their patients agree to donate materials for research.

Many jurisdictions have conflicting policies about payment to oocyte donors. Reimbursement to oocyte donors for out-of-pocket expenses presents no ethical problems because donors gain no financial advantage from participating in research. However, payment to oocyte donors in excess of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses is controversial, and jurisdictions have conflicting policies that may also be internally inconsistent (27,28).

Good arguments can be made both for and against paying donors of research oocytes more than their expenses (29). On the one hand, some object that such payments induce women to undertake excessive risks, particularly poorly educated women who have limited options for employment, as occurred in the Hwang scandal. Such concerns about undue influence, however, may be addressed without banning payment. For example, participants could be asked questions to ensure that they understood key features of the study and that they felt they had a choice regarding participation (19). Also, careful monitoring and adjustment of hormone doses can minimize the risks associated with oocyte donation (25). A further objection is that paying women who provide research oocytes undermines human dignity because human biological materials and intimate relationships are devalued if these materials are bought and sold like commodities (14,30).

On the other hand, some contend that it is unfair to ban payments to donors of research oocytes, while allowing women to receive thousands of U.S. dollars to undergo the same procedures to provide oocytes for infertility treatment (29). Moreover, healthy volunteers, both men and women, are paid to undergo other invasive research procedures, such as liver biopsy, for research purposes. Furthermore, bans on payment for oocyte donation for research have been criticized as paternalistic, denying women the authority to make decisions for themselves (31). On a pragmatic level, without such payment, it is very difficult to recruit oocyte donors for research.

In California, CIRM has instituted heightened requirements for informed consent for oocyte donation for research (19). The CIRM regulations go beyond requirements for disclosure of information to oocyte donors (19). The major ethical issue is whether donors appreciate key information about oocyte donation, not simply whether the information has been disclosed to them or not. As discussed previously, in other research settings, research participants often fail to understand the information in detailed consent forms (32). CIRM thus reasons that disclosure, while necessary, is not sufficient to guarantee informed consent. In CIRM-funded research, oocyte donors must be asked questions to ensure that they comprehend the key features of the research (19). Evaluating comprehension is feasible because it has been carried out in other research contexts, such as in HIV prevention trials in the developing world (33). According to testimony presented to CIRM, evaluation of comprehension has also been carried out with respect to oocyte donation for clinical infertility services.

Pluripotent stem cell lines whose nuclear DNA matches a specific person have several scientific advantages. Stem cell lines matched to persons with specific diseases can serve as in vitro models of diseases, elucidate the pathophysiology of diseases, and screen potential new therapies. Lines matched to specific individuals also offer the promise of personalized autologous stem cell transplantation.

One approach to creating such lines is through SCNT, the technique that produced Dolly the sheep. In SCNT, reprogramming is achieved after transferring nuclear DNA from a donor cell into an oocyte from which the nucleus has been removed. However, creating human SCNT stem cell lines has not only been scientifically impossible to date but is also ethically controversial (34,35).

Some people who object to SCNT believe that creating embryos with the intention of using them for research and destroying them in that process violates respect for nascent human life. Even those who support deriving stem cell lines from frozen embryos that would otherwise be discarded sometimes reject the intentional creation of embryos for research. In rebuttal, however, some argue that pluripotent entities created through SCNT are biologically and ethically distinct from embryos (36).

There are several compelling objections to using SCNT for human reproduction. First, because of errors during reprogramming of genetic material, cloned animal embryos fail to activate key embryonic genes, and newborn clones misexpress hundreds of genes (37,38). The risk of severe congenital defects would be prohibitively high in humans. Second, even if SCNT could be carried out safely in humans, some object that it violates human dignity and undermines traditional, fundamental moral, religious, and cultural values (34). A cloned child would have only one genetic parent and would be the genetic twin of that parent. In this view, cloning would lead children to be regarded more as products of a designed manufacturing process than gifts whom their parents are prepared to accept as they are. Furthermore, cloning would violate the natural boundaries between generations (34). For these reasons, cloning for reproductive purposes is widely considered morally wrong and is illegal in a number of states. Moreover, some people argue that because the technique of SCNT can be used for reproduction, its development and use for basic research should be banned.

Because of the shortage of human oocytes for SCNT research, some scientists wish to use nonhuman oocytes to derive lines using human nuclear DNA. These so-called cytoplasmic hybrid embryos raise a number of ethical concerns. Some opponents fear the creation of chimerasmythical beasts that appear part human and part animal and have characteristics of both humans and animals (39). Opponents may feel deep moral unease or repugnance, without articulating their concerns in more specific terms. Some people view such hybrid embryos as contrary to a moral order embodied in the natural world and in natural law. In this view, each species has a particular moral purpose or goal, which mankind should not try to change. Others view such research as an inappropriate crossing of species barriers, which should be an immutable part of natural design. Finally, some are concerned that there may be attempts to implant these embryos for reproductive purposes.

In rebuttal, supporters of such research point out that the biological definitions of species are not natural and immutable but empirical and pragmatic (40,41,42). Animal-animal hybrids of various sorts, such as the mule, exist and are not considered morally objectionable. Moreover, in medical research, human cells are commonly injected into nonhuman animals and incorporated into their functioning tissue. Indeed, this is widely done in research with all types of stem cells to demonstrate that cells are pluripotent or have differentiated into the desired type of cell. In addition, some concerns can be addressed through strict oversight (40), for example prohibiting reproductive uses of these embryos and limiting in vitro development to 14 d or the development of the primitive streak, limits that are widely accepted for other hESC research. Finally, some people regard repugnance per se an unconvincing guide to ethical judgments. People disagree over what is repugnant, and their views might change over time. Blood transfusion and cadaveric organ transplantation were originally viewed as repugnant but are now widely accepted practices. Furthermore, after public discussion and education, many people overcome their initial concerns.

Pluripotent stem cells can be derived from fetal tissue after abortion. However, use of fetal tissue is ethically controversial because it is associated with abortion, which many people object to. Under federal regulations, research with fetal tissue is permitted provided that the donation of tissue for research is considered only after the decision to terminate pregnancy has been made. This requirement minimizes the possibility that a womans decision to terminate pregnancy might be influenced by the prospect of contributing tissue to research. Currently there is a phase 1 clinical trial in Battens disease, a lethal degenerative disease affecting children, using neural stem cells derived from fetal tissue (43,44).

Somatic cells can be reprogrammed to form pluripotent stem cells (45,46), called induced pluripotential stem cells (iPS cells). These iPS cell lines will have DNA matching that of the somatic cell donors and will be useful as disease models and potentially for allogenic transplantation.

Early iPS cell lines were derived by inserting genes encoding for transcription factors, using retroviral vectors. Researchers have been trying to eliminate safety concerns about inserting oncogenes and insertional mutagenesis. Reprogramming has been successfully accomplished without known oncogenes and using adenovirus vectors rather than retrovirus vectors. A further step was the recent demonstration that human embryonic fibroblasts can be reprogrammed to a pluripotent state using a plasmid with a peptide-linked reprogramming cassette (47,48). Not only was reprogramming accomplished without using a virus, but the transgene can be removed after reprogramming is accomplished. The ultimate goal is to induce pluripotentiality without genetic manipulation. Because of unresolved problems with iPS cells, which currently preclude their use for cell-based therapies, most scientists urge continued research with hESC (49).

iPS cells avoid the heated debates over the ethics of embryonic stem cell research because embryos or oocytes are not used. Furthermore, because a skin biopsy to obtain somatic cells is relatively noninvasive, there are fewer concerns about risks to donors compared with oocyte donation. The Presidents Council on Bioethics called iPS cells ethically unproblematic and acceptable for use in humans (39). Neither the donation of materials to derive iPS cells nor their derivation raises special ethical issues.

Some potential downstream uses of iPS cell derivatives may be so sensitive as to call into question whether the original somatic cell donors would have agreed to such uses (50). iPS cells will be shared widely among researchers who will carry out a variety of studies with iPS cells and derivatives, using common and well-accepted scientific practices, such as:

Genetic modifications of cells

Injection of derived cells into nonhuman animals to demonstrate their function, including the injection into the brains of nonhuman animals.

Large-scale genome sequencing

Sharing cell lines with other researchers, with appropriate confidentiality protections, and

Patenting scientific discoveries and developing commercial tests and therapies, with no sharing of royalties with donors (51).

These standard research techniques are widely used in other types of basic research, including research with stem cells from other sources. Generally, donors of biological materials are not explicitly informed of these research procedures, although such disclosure is now proposed for whole genome sequencing (52,53).

Such studies are of fundamental importance in stem cell biology, for example to characterize the lines and to demonstrate that they are pluripotent. Large-scale genome sequencing will yield insights about the pathogenesis of disease and identify new targets for therapy. Injection of human stem cells into the brains of nonhuman animals will be required for preclinical testing of cell-based therapies for many conditions, such as Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, and stroke.

However, some downstream research could also raise ethical concerns. For example, large-scale genome sequencing may evoke concerns about privacy and confidentiality. Donors might consider it a violation of privacy if scientists know their future susceptibility to many genetic diseases. Furthermore, it may be possible to reidentify the donor of a deidentified large-scale genome sequence using information in forensic DNA databases or at an Internet company offering personal genomic testing (54,55). Other donors may object to their cells being injected into animals. For example, they may oppose all animal research, or they may have religious objections to the mixing of human and animal species. The injection of human neural progenitor cells into nonhuman animals has raised ethical concerns about animals developing characteristics considered uniquely human (56,57). Still other donors may not want cell lines derived from their biological materials to be patented as a step toward developing new tests and therapies. People are unlikely to drop such objections even if the cell lines were deidentified or even if many years had passed since the original donation. Thus there may be a tension between respecting the autonomy of donors and obtaining scientific benefit from research, which can be resolved during the process of obtaining consent for the original donation of materials.

It would be unfortunate if iPS cell lines that turned out to be extremely useful scientifically (for example because of robust growth in tissue culture) could not be used in additional research because the somatic cell donor objected. One approach to avoid this is to preferentially use somatic cells from donors who are willing to allow all such basic stem cell research and to be contacted for future sensitive research that cannot be anticipated at the time of consent (50). Donors could also be offered the option of consenting to additional specific types of sensitive but not fundamental downstream research, such as allogenic transplantation into other humans and reproductive research involving the creation of totipotent entities.

Because these concerns about consent for sensitive downstream research also apply to other types of stem cells, it would be prudent to put in place similar standards for consent to donate materials for derivation of other types of stem cells. However, these concerns are particularly salient for iPS cells because of the widespread perception that these cells raise no serious ethical problems and because they are likely to play an increasing role in stem cell research.

Transplantation of cells derived from pluripotent stem cells offers the promise of effective new treatments. However, such transplantation also involves great uncertainty and the possibility of serious risks. Some stem cell therapies have been shown to be effective and safe, for example hematopoietic stem cell transplants for leukemia and epithelial stem cell-based treatments for burns and corneal disorders (58). However, there are some clinics around the world already exploiting patients hopes by purporting to offer effective stem cell therapies for seriously ill patients, typically for large sums of money, but without credible scientific rationale, transparency, oversight, or patient protections (58). Although supporting medical innovation under very limited circumstances, the International Society for Stem Cell Research has decried such use of unproven hSC transplantation.

These clinical trials should follow ethical principles that guide all clinical research, including appropriate balance of risks and benefits and informed, voluntary consent. Additional ethical requirements are also warranted to strengthen trial design, coordinate scientific and ethics review, verify that participants understand key features of the trial, and ensure publication of negative findings (59). These measures are appropriate because of the highly innovative nature of the intervention, limited experience in humans, and the high hopes of patients who have no effective treatments.

The risks of innovative stem cell-based interventions include tumor formation, immunological reactions, unexpected behavior of the cells, and unknown long-term health effects (58). Evidence of safety and proof of principle should be established through appropriate preclinical studies in relevant animal models or through human studies of similar cell-based interventions. Requirements for proof of principle and safety should be higher if cells have been manipulated extensively in vitro or have been derived from pluripotent stem cells (58).

Even with these safeguards, however, because of the highly innovative nature of the intervention and limited experience in humans, unanticipated serious adverse events may occur. In older clinical trials of transplantation of fetal dopaminergic neurons into persons with Parkinsons disease, transplanted cells failed to improve clinical outcomes (60,61). Indeed, about 15% of subjects receiving transplantation late developed disabling dyskinesias, with some needing ablative surgery to relieve these adverse events (60,61). Although the transplanted cells localized to the target areas of the brain, engrafted, and functioned to produce the intended neurotransmitters, appropriately regulated physiological function was not achieved. Participants in phase I trials may not thoroughly understand the possibility that hESC transplantation might make their condition worse.

Problems with informed consent are well documented in phase I clinical trials. Participants in cancer clinical trials commonly expect that they will benefit personally from the trial, although the primary purpose of phase I trials is to test safety rather than efficacy (62). This tendency to view clinical research as providing personal benefit has been termed the therapeutic misconception (32,63). Analyses of cancer clinical trials reveal that the information in consent forms generally is adequate. However, in early phase I gene transfer clinical trials, researchers descriptions of the direct benefit to participants commonly were vague, ambiguous, and indeterminate (64).

Participants in phase I stem cell-based clinical trials might overestimate their benefits and underestimate the risks. The scientific rationale for hSC transplantation and preclinical results may seem compelling. In addition, highly optimistic press coverage might reinforce unrealistic hopes.

Several measures may enhance informed consent in early stem cell-based clinical trials (59). First, researchers should describe the risks and prospective benefits in a realistic manner. Researchers need to communicate the distinction between the long-term hope for effective treatments and the uncertainty inherent in any phase I trial. Participants in phase I studies need to understand that the intervention has never been tried before in humans for the specific condition, that researchers do not know whether it will work as hoped, and that the great majority of participants in phase I studies do not receive a direct benefit.

Second, investigators in hESC clinical trials should discuss a broader range of information with potential participants than in other clinical trials. The doctrine of informed consent requires researchers to discuss with potential participants information that is pertinent to their decision to volunteer for the clinical trial (65). Generally, the relevant information concerns the nature of the intervention being studied and the risks and prospective benefits. However, in hESC transplantation, nonmedical issues may be prominent or even decisive for some participants. Individuals who regard the embryo as having the moral status of a person would likely have strong objections to receiving hESC transplants. Although this intervention might benefit them medically, such individuals might regard it as complicit with an immoral action. Thus researchers in clinical trials of hESC transplantation should inform eligible participants that transplanted materials originated from human embryos.

Third, and most important, researchers should verify that participants have a realistic understanding of the clinical trial (59). The crucial ethical issue about informed consent is not what researchers disclose in consent forms or discussions, but rather what the participants in clinical trials understand. In other contexts, some researchers have ensured that participants understand the key features of the trial by assessing their comprehension. In HIV clinical trials in developing countries, where it has been alleged that participants did not understand the trial, many researchers are now testing each participant to be sure he or she understands the essential features of the research (33). Such direct assessment of participants understanding of the study has been recommended more broadly in contexts in which misunderstandings are likely (26). We urge that such tests of comprehension be carried out in phase I trials of hSC transplantation (58,59).

Careful attention to consent in highly innovative clinical trials might prevent controversies later. In early clinical trials of organ transplantation, the implantable totally artificial heart, and gene transfer, the occurrence of serious adverse events led to allegations that study participants had not truly understood the nature of the research (66,67,68). The resulting ethical controversies brought about negative publicity and delays in subsequent clinical trials.

Human stem cell research raises some ethical issues that are beyond the mission of institutional review boards (IRBs) to protect human subjects, as well as the expertise of IRB members. There should be a sound scientific justification for using human oocytes and embryos to derive new human stem cell lines. However, IRBs usually do not carry out in-depth scientific review. Some ethical issues in hESC research do not involve human subjects protection, for example the concern that transplanting human stem cells into nonhuman animals might result in characteristics that are regarded as uniquely human.

An institutional SCRO with appropriate scientific and ethical expertise, as well as public members, should be convened at each institution to review, approve, and oversee stem cell research (18,69,70). The SCRO will need to work closely with the IRB and, in cases of animal research, with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Because of the sensitive nature of hSC research, the SCRO should include nonaffiliated and lay members who can ensure that public concerns are taken into account.

Sharing stem cells across institutions facilitates scientific progress and minimizes the number of oocytes, embryos, and somatic cells used. However, ethical concerns arise if researchers work with lines that were derived in other jurisdictions under conditions that would not be permitted at their home institution. Researchers and SCROs need to distinguish core ethical standards that are accepted by international consensusinformed consent and an acceptable balance of benefits and risksfrom standards that vary across jurisdictions and cultures. Using lines whose derivation violated core standards would erode ethical conduct of research by providing incentives to others to violate those standards.

The review process should focus on those types of hSC derivation that raise heightened levels of ethical concern (71). hSC lines derived using fresh oocytes and embryos require in-depth review because of concerns about the medical risks of oocyte donation, undue influence, and setbacks to the reproductive goals of a woman undergoing infertility treatment.

Dilemmas occur when donors of research oocytes receive payments in excess of their expenses and such payments are not permitted in the jurisdiction where the hSC cells will be used. For example, the United Kingdom enacted an explicit policy to allow such payment after public consultation and debate and provided reasons to justify its decision (72,73,74,75). Jurisdictions that ban payments should accept such carefully considered policies as a reasonable difference of opinion on a complex issue. Concerns about payment should be less if lines were derived from frozen embryos remaining after IVF treatment and donors were paid in the reproductive context. Such payments, which were carried out before donation for research was actually considered, are not an inducement for hESC research (71).

Other dilemmas arise with hESC lines derived from embryos using gamete donors. As previously discussed, explicit consent for the use of reproductive materials in stem cell research should be obtained from any gamete donors as well as embryo donors (13,76). An exception may be made to grandparent older lines derived from frozen embryos created before such explicit consent became the standard of care, for example before the 2005 National Academy of Sciences guidelines (76). Use of such older lines is appropriate because it would be unreasonable to expect physicians to comply with standards that had not yet been developed (71). It would also be acceptable to grandparent lines if gamete donors agreed to unspecified future research or gave dispositional control of frozen embryos to the woman or couple in IVF. However, the derivation should be consistent with the ethical and legal standards in place at the time the line was derived.

In summary, hSC research offers exciting opportunities for scientific advances and new therapies, but also raises some complex ethical and policy issues. These issues need to be discussed along with scientific challenges to ensure that stem cell research is carried out in an ethically appropriate manner.

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant 1 UL1 RR024131-01 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research and by the Greenwall Foundation. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of NCRR or NIH.

B.L. is co-chair of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Scientific and Medical Accountability Standards Working Group.

Disclosure Summary: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

First Published Online April 14, 2009

Abbreviations: ART, Artificial reproductive technology; hESC, human embryonic stem cell; hSC, human stem cell; iPS cells, induced pluripotent stem cells; IRB, institutional review board; IVF, in vitro fertilization; SCNT, somatic cell nuclear transfer.

More here:
Ethical Issues in Stem Cell Research - PubMed Central (PMC)

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Dream Body Clinic Stem Cell Therapy Stem Cells HGH

♫ Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy

At Dream Body Clinic we offer Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Treatments for Autoimmune disorders, Chronic Degenerative disorders, Articulations, Cosmetic Issues and more.

What kind of stem cells are these?

Our Mesenchymal Stem Cells are derived from Umbilical cord (Wharton Jelly) and Placenta. All donors are under 30 years old and put through a stringent screening process to ensure we only have gold quality stem cells. This tissue that we derive from is the youngest possible source for stem cells. This means that the stem cells we administer are as young and healthy as possible. There is no chance of rejection as mesenchymal stem cells lack human leukocyte antigen (HLA). HLA is what the immune system looks for to detect intruders. Our stem cells are sourced in the best way possible and then cultivated to provide the tens of millions or hundreds of millions of stem cells needed for a successful stem cell therapy.

What Does Stem Cell Therapy Cost?

Stem Cell Anti-Aging Treatments

Our Mesenchymal Stem Therapy Treatments have many anti-aging benefits. We are able to effect the whole body with a stem cells anti-aging IV Treatment or focus on specific areas like the face or hair. The stem cells target inflammation and then fix the route cause. Chronic inflammation always speeds up aging so this is the first way anti-aging stem cells effect.Next they donate mitochondria to weak cells. The mitochondria are like the engines of the cells and by having fresh, new mitochondria they have more energy and work better. The stem cells have also been found to extend telomere length in at least 6 types of cells. It is believed that research will show they do this for even more cells.The stem cell facial treatment is able to restore collagen and fat below the surface of the skin. This fills in the lines and restores a youthful appearance. It also improves skin quality and thickness.The Stem Cell Hair Restoration Treatment allows hair follicles that are closing to re-open. They also help regenerate the existing hair. stem cell therapy for anti-aging is wonderful

Type 2 Diabetes Stem Cell Treatment

Our Diabetes Stem Cell Treatment is extremely effective at mitigating the negative effects of Type 2 diabetes. The mesenchymal stem cell treatment for Type 2 diabetes is an IV of 300 Million mesenchymal stem cells. These stem cells send out cytokines that effectively reprogram the immune system to protect the pancreas instead of attacking it. This leads to stabilized blood glucose levels and proper insulin response. A proper diet with low sugar and low fast carbohydrates is needed to maintain results, but the stem cell treatment has a profound effect on Type 2 diabetes. Learn more about our Type 2 Diabetes Stem Cell Therapy.

Type 2 Diabetes Stem Cell Treatment Studies

.All of these studies back up how effective mesenchymal stem cells are at treating type 2 diabetes. Learn more about Dream Body Clinics Type 2 Diabetes Stem Cell Treatment Here.

Lyme Disease Stem Cell Treatment

Our Lyme Disease Stem Cell Treatment is extremely effective at mitigating the negative effects of Lyme disease. The mesenchymal stem cell treatment for Lyme disease is an IV of 300 Million mesenchymal stem cells. These stem cells send out cytokines that effectively reprogram the immune system to protect the body instead of attacking it. This leads to feeling normal again. Learn more about our Lyme Disease Stem Cell Treatment.

Human Growth Hormone - HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program

Our HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program is our longest running program that we have been doing for 8 years. It is legal to seek medical treatment abroad and return home with any prescribed medication. We start with a blood panel to make sure you are healthy and then prescribe the HGH to meet your country of origins law. For the USA that is 50 dose units and the rest of the world is a 90 day supply. We can legally send you home with up to 720 IU of pharmaceutical HGH like Norditropin HGH, Genotropin HGH or Humatrope HGH. That is enough for 2IU a day for a year. Learn more about our HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Genotropin HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program

Our Genotropin HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 720 IU of Genotropin HGH. Enough for 2IU a day for a year. Buy HGH the legal way. Learn more about our Genotropin HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Norditropin HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program

Our Norditropin HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 720 IU of Genotropin HGH. Enough for 2IU a day for a year. You can now buy HGH Legally! Learn more about our Norditropin HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Humatrope HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program

Our Humatrope HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 720 IU of Humatrope HGH. Enough for 2IU a day for a year. You can finally buy HGH Legally! Learn more about our Humatrope HGH Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy - TRT Fly & Buy Program

Our Testosterone Replacement Therapy TRT Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 100ml of Testosterone. That is enough to last 2 years at 1ml a week. You can finally buy TRT at the dose you want Legally! Learn more about our Testosterone Replacement Therapy TRT Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Proviron Fly & Buy Program

Our Proviron Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 80 boxes of proviron. You can finally buy Proviron at the dose you want Legally! Learn more about our Proviron Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Deca Durabolin Fly & Buy Program

Our Deca Durabolin Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 50 boxes of Deca Durabolin. You can finally buy Deca Durabolin at the dose you want Legally! Learn more about our Deca Durabolin Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Anavar Fly & Buy Program

Our Anavar (Oxandralone) Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 6 bottles of Anavar (Oxandralone). You can finally buy Anavar (Oxandralone) at the dose you want Legally! Learn more about our Anavar (Oxandralone) Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Modafinil Fly & Buy Program

Our Modafinil Legal Fly & Buy Program is the best. We can legally send you home with up to 8 boxes of Modafinil. You can finally buy modafinil at the dose you want Legally! Learn more about our Modafinil Legal Fly & Buy Program.

Stem Cell Therapy Research

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Stem cells | healthdirect

♫ Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

beginning of content

3-minute read

Stem cells are unspecialised cells in the body that have the potential to develop into specialised cell types (e.g. blood cells, muscle cells, nerve cells) that have been lost through illness or injury. Stem cells are being researched for their potential to treat various medical conditions, but this research is still at the early stages. In most cases, their use is controversial.

Stem cells can help with the growth or repair of body tissues.

There are different types, including:

The main benefits of stem cells are their ability to differentiate (transform) into any cell type, and their ability to repair damaged tissue. Because of this, researchers think they may have a role in treating a range of medical conditions.

Embryonic stem cells used in research are taken from excess human embryos produced during assisted-fertility programs. This results in the destruction of the embryos, raising many ethical questions.

Therapeutic cloning, which involves creating identical embryonic stem cells using an unfertilised human egg, is legal in Australia under very strict conditions.

Many stem cell treatments are still experimental and are not yet proven to be safe and effective. However, media reports about stem cell breakthroughs sometimes imply that experimental treatments are available. Furthermore, some stem cell clinics offer unproven treatments that may be harmful.

It is essential to research stem cell treatments thoroughly using trusted information sources, and to talk to your doctor.

The only approved stem cell treatment that has been established to be safe and effective is haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (using stem cells from umbilical cord blood or bone marrow) for people with blood and immune system conditions, such as leukaemia and lymphoma. Other uses are still experimental.

Areas of stem cell research and potential uses:

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: September 2020

Link:
Stem cells | healthdirect

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Human Embryonic Stem Cells | The Embryo Project Encyclopedia

♫ Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that are capable of dividing for long periods of time and can give rise to specialized cells under particular conditions. Embryonic stem cells are a particular type of stem cell derived from embryos. According to US National Institutes of Health (NIH), in humans, the term embryo applies to a fertilized egg from the beginning of division up to the end of the eighth week of gestation, when the embryo becomes a fetus. Between fertilization and the eighth week of gestation, the embryo undergoes multiple cell divisions. At the eight-cell stage, roughly the third day of division, all eight cells are considered totipotent, which means the cell has the capability of becoming a fully developed human being. By day four, cells begin to separate and form a spherical layer which eventually becomes the placenta and tissue that support the development of the future fetus. A mass of about thirty cells, called the inner cell mass, forms at one end of the sphere and eventually becomes the body. When the sphere and inner cell mass are fully formed, around day 5, the pre-implantation embryo is referred to as a blastocyst. At this point the cells in the inner cell mass have not yet differentiated, but have the ability to develop into any specialized cell type that makes up the body. This property is known as pluripotency. As of 2009, embryonic stem cells refer to pluripotent cells that are generally derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts.

In November 1998, two independent publications announced the first successful isolation and culture of pluripotent human stem cells. While working at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, James A. Thomson and his team of researchers cultured human embryonic stem cells from the inner cell mass of donated embryos originally produced for in vitro fertilization. The characteristics of the cultured cells were consistent with previously identified features in animal stem cells. They were capable of long-term self-renewal and thus could remain undifferentiated for long periods of time; they had particular surface markers; and they were able to maintain a normal and stable karyotype. Thomsons team also observed derivatives of all the three germ layersendoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. Since the three germ layers precede differentiation into all the cell types in the body, this observation suggested that the cultured cells were pluripotent. The team published Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Derived from Human Blastocysts, in the 6 November Science issue. Soon afterwards, a research team led by John D. Gearhart at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, published Derivation of Pluripotent Stem Cells from Cultured Human Primordial Germ Cells in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. The paper detailed the process by which pluripotent stem cells were derived from gonadal ridges and mesenteries extracted from aborted five-to-nine week old human embryos. Gearhart and his team noted the same observations as Thomsons team. Despite coming from different sources, according to NIH, the resultant cells seem to be the same.

The largest source of blastocysts for stem cell research comes from in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics. Used for reproductive purposes, IVF usually produces an abundance of viable blastocysts. Excess blastocysts are sometimes donated for research purposes after obtaining informed consent from donors. Another potential method for producing embryonic stem cells is somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This has been successfully done using animal cells. The nucleus of a differentiated adult cell, such as a skin cell, is removed and fused with an enucleated egg, an egg with the nucleus removed. The egg, now containing the genetic material from the skin cell, is believed to be totipotent and eventually develops into a blastocyst. As of mid-2006, attempts to produce human embryonic stem cells using SCNT have been unsuccessful. Nonetheless, scientists continue to pursue this method because of the medical and scientific implications of embryonic stem cells lines with an identical genetic makeup to particular patients. One problem faced in tissue transplants is immune rejection, where the host body attacks the introduced tissue. SCNT would be a way to overcome the incompatibility problem by using the patients own somatic cells.

Recent discoveries in cultivating human embryonic stem cells may potentially lead to major advancements in understanding human embryogenesis and medical treatments. Previously, limitations in access and environmental control have stunted research initiatives aimed at mapping out the developmental process. Insights into differentiation factors may lead to treatments into such areas as birth defects. Manipulation of the differentiation process may then lead to large supplies of stem cells for cell-based therapies on patients with Parkinsons disease, for example. In theory adult stem cells can also be cultivated for such purposes, but isolating and identifying adult stem cells has been difficult and the prospects for treatment are more limited than using embryonic stem cells.

Despite the potential benefits that may come about through human embryonic stem cell research, not everyone in the public embraces it. Several ethical debates surround this newly developing research field. Much of the debate stems from differing opinions on how we should view embryos: is an embryo a person? Should an embryo be considered property? Ethical concerns in embryonic stem cell research include destroying human blastocysts, laws surrounding informed consent, and particularly for SCNT, misapplication of techniques for reproductive cloning. For the latter concern, SCNT does produce a blastocyst which contains stem cell clones of an adult cell, but the desired application is in growing replacement tissues. Still, a portion of the public fears the hypothetical one day, when someone decides to use SCNT to develop and raise a human clone.

The public debate continues, advancing along with the changes in the field. As of 2006, public opinion polls showed that majority of religious and non-religious Americans now support embryonic stem cell research, but opinions remain divided over whether it is legitimate to create or use human blastocysts solely for research.

Wu, Ke, "Human Embryonic Stem Cells".

(2010-09-13). ISSN: 1940-5030 http://embryo.asu.edu/handle/10776/2055.

Arizona State University. School of Life Sciences. Center for Biology and Society. Embryo Project Encyclopedia.

Arizona Board of Regents Licensed as Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

View original post here:
Human Embryonic Stem Cells | The Embryo Project Encyclopedia

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Stem cells, through a religious lens Harvard Gazette

♫ Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

Representatives of three of the worlds major religions tangled over the beginnings of human life, the disposal of surplus embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics, and the conduct of embryonic stem cell research Wednesday (March 14) at Harvard Divinity School.

Panelists at the event, representing Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, each briefly presented their faiths teachings about the beginnings of human life and then embarked on a lively discussion about embryonic stem cell research.

The conservative Christian view that human life is created at conception contrasted with the view common among Jews that an embryo doesnt become human until 40 days after conception, and the similar Muslim view that human life begins when the soul enters the developing baby sometime between 40 days and 120 days after conception.

The different beliefs in the timing of when a developing embryo becomes a human likely accounts for different levels of acceptance for embryonic stem cell research, which is supported in the Jewish community, is accepted in many Muslim countries, yet is opposed by the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations.

The panel featured Eric Cohen, director of the Bioethics and American Democracy Program at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., who presented the Jewish point of view; Omar Sultan Haque, a Muslim theologian at Harvard Medical School; John Davis, a Presbyterian minister and professor of systematic theology and Christian ethics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and Llewellyn Smith of the Andover/Newton Theological School and a minister with the United Church of Christ.

Harvard Stem Cell Institute faculty members Willy Lensch and Jerome Ritz also participated, providing clarification on scientific points.

Harvard Stem Cell Institute executive director Brock Reeve introduced the event, saying that exploring ethical matters related to stem cell research is an important part of the institutes mission. Philip Clayton, visiting professor of science and religion at Harvard Divinity School, moderated the event.

Clayton said that the ethical issues surrounding embryonic stem cell research have made it one of the best-known and highest-stakes ethical debates of our times. Supporters, Clayton said, insist that the promise of stem cell research to cure debilitating diseases means the research must go forward. Opponents, however, say that the need to destroy human embryos as a source of stem cells makes the cost of that research too high.

Though Cohen presented the Jewish belief that 40 days after conception is a critical threshold for human life, he said he disagrees with that notion. He believes that medical advances that allow embryos to live outside the human body and scientific knowledge that 40 days after conception is not a significant time in human development have put humanity in a situation unanticipated by religious tradition.

Cohen, who has served as an adviser to President George Bushs Council on Bioethics, said he believes human life must be respected from conception and warned of the dangers of defining a class of human beings as unworthy of life.

I think we need to see the embryos as God sees us. In the eyes of God, we dont seem like much, Cohen said.

Cohens views were echoed in many ways by Davis, who said a person should be defined not as one who has developed consciousness already, but as one capable of developing consciousness. Cohen said that societys view of who is a person has undergone considerable evolution over time, incorporating, for example, ethnic groups that were once excluded. He argued that it is time for it to evolve again and begin to include developing humans from the time of conception, which he argued are excluded, like other groups in history, because they dont look like us.

Haque said that views on the subject in Islam are still evolving, given that the Koran doesnt address the issue directly. The idea of ensoulment, he said, is usually thought to occur at either 40 days or 120 days, and is based on intuitive signs of life in the developing embryo. While there is a strong prohibition against reproductive cloning, with severe penalties in some countries, therapeutic cloning is generally tolerated.

Haque said he doesnt necessarily agree with the idea of ensoulment but supports embryonic stem cell research, saying he doesnt see why embryos created and frozen to help infertile couples in in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics should be discarded as medical waste. Despite arguments to the contrary, he said, even people who say an embryo should be treated as a full human life make distinctions by allowing abortions when the mothers life is in danger.

How is that possible if both lives are equal? Haque said.

Smith said the United Church of Christ doesnt object to research on blastocysts, as long as its conducted with respect and not done for reproductive purposes. But the church also believes there needs to be a robust debate on the issue. There are concerns from some parts of the church that the benefits of stem cell research be broadly shared, regardless of wealth or social status, and concern about unintended consequences, such as uncontrolled reproduction as in cancer cells.

I think we have a true moral dilemma that our tradition and our scriptures do not fully address, Smith said. Were a long way from a clear answer.

When asked about common ground among their views, panelists said that all agree that human life must be respected and that disease must be treated, but they disagree about what constitutes a human life and at what cost must disease be treated.

Haque said people often talk about human life as if it is invaluable and to be protected at all costs, but belie those words in everyday decisions, such as those to go to war, that cost human lives.

Haques assertion prompted Cohen to suggest the discussants focus on stem cells and not military policy.

Lets keep the Iraq War out of this. Stem cells are hard enough, Cohen said.

Cohen argued that because embryonic stem cell research has yet to fulfill its promise, the issue isnt even as clear as trading blastocysts for a cure for disease.

Its not even a debate of [curing] one person who is sick versus an embryo. It destroys lots of embryos on the speculation that research will one day lead to a cure, Cohen said.

Davis argued that the destruction of blastocysts may carry a societal cost, since we dont know whether, if implanted, one could develop into an influential leader. Davis said he believes the issue is essentially a line-drawing problem and that the burden of drawing the appropriate line determining when a potential human life can be used to benefit others falls on those who would use it.

Cohen and Davis both acknowledged that the problem stems from our societys acceptance of the practice of in vitro fertilization, which creates thousands of unused blastocysts in the process.

Cohen said he thinks the nation should have a renewed debate over IVF, focusing on alternate technologies at use in other nations that produce far fewer surplus embryos.

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Scientists identify 2nd HIV patient whose body rid itself of virus – National Herald

♫ Sunday, November 21st, 2021

In most people, new viral particles are constantly made from this reservoir. Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) can prevent the new viruses from being made but cannot eliminate the reservoir, necessitating daily treatment to suppress the virus.

Some people, known as elite controllers, have immune systems that are able to suppress HIV without the need for medication. Though they still have viral reservoirs that can produce more HIV virus, a type of immune cell called a killer T-cell keeps the virus suppressed without the need for medication.

Yu explained that the new findings may suggest a specific killer T-cell response common to both patients driving this response, with the possibility that other people with HIV have also achieved a sterilising cure.

If the immune mechanisms underlying this response can be understood by researchers, they may be able to develop treatments that teach others' immune systems to mimic these responses in cases of HIV infection.

"We are now looking toward the possibility of inducing this kind of immunity in persons on ART through vaccination, with the goal of educating their immune systems to be able to control the virus without ART," Yu said.

Visit link:
Scientists identify 2nd HIV patient whose body rid itself of virus - National Herald

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Need to streamline research on CRISPR gene-editing technology: Experts – Business Standard

♫ Sunday, November 21st, 2021

The endogenous manufacturing of CRISPR components, through greater research, would make India a commercially successful country in the field of Deep Science, according to Girish Krishnamurthy, CEO & MD, Tata Medical and Diagnostics Ltd.

Participating in a panel discussion on 'Gene-Editing On Centre Stage' at the 'Bengaluru Tech Summit 2021', Krishnamurthy opined that the therapeutics R&D is slow in India as compared to the West, hence seeking deeper research experiences is significant.

"The country also needs to address associated infrastructural issues like the building of cold storage, expanding supply chains and the sorts," he said.The CEO also highlighted the misconception amongst people that CRISPR is meant for therapeutic and not diagnostic purposes and that it needs to change. With basic technology and market being the most crucial focal points, a large number of its applications are to be looked at, serving both urban and rural India.Though grants are channelized from the Department of Biotechnology, Dr Saravanabhavan Thangavel, Assistant Investigator, Centre for Stem Cell Research, discussed the difficulty in attracting private funds to expand the CRISPR technology that deals with almost all primary deficiencies.Talking about the guidelines existing on Therapeutic diagnostics and products, Dr Shambhavi Nayak, Head of Research, Takshashila Institution expressed the vagueness in the policy.

"The Government should move to a facilitator role, making markets more accessible" she added, referring to the potential for Gene-Editing in itself as a boon.Dr Vaijayanti Gupta, Leas Scientist, CrisprBits Pvt Ltd., emphasized on the importance of understanding the licensing, patent rights, legal and ethical framework and the overall impact on health and well-being.

"As CRISPR is trying to hit single-cell and rapid diagnostics, investments from the private sector are essential to allow this space to develop from market angle", she said.Working on CRISPR in plants, particularly Banana, Dr Siddharth Tiwari, Scientist, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, said the enzymes used to target carotenes development are of prime significance.

" While the releasing of genetically engineered crops in India is in the hands of Government, the non-transgenic approach is being preferred recently," he told and stressed the need for a sustained effort to support the endeavours that can bring it to the common man.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.We, however, have a request.

As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.

Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.

Digital Editor

The rest is here:
Need to streamline research on CRISPR gene-editing technology: Experts - Business Standard

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Atrial Fibrillation Market Growth Driven by Technological Advancements in AFib Systems and Solutions and Rapidly Increasing Geriatric Population -…

♫ Sunday, November 21st, 2021

NEW YORK, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The global atrial fibrillation market size is expected to reach USD 2.11 billion in 2028 and register a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period, according to the latest report by Reports and Data. Rising global prevalence of atrial fibrillation, advancements in research to identify modifiable AFib risk factors, and growing focus on targeted prevention programs to manage atrial fibrillation at early stages are key factors expected to drive market revenue growth over the forecast period. In addition, awareness about atrial fibrillation and its detection has improved significantly over the recent past and has led to further development of more robust treatment strategies to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with this condition.

Download Report Summary PDF- https://www.reportsanddata.com/download-summary-form/1440

Atrial fibrillation is the most commonly detected arrhythmia in modern clinical practice and is responsible for nearly 30% of the hospital admissions related to cardiac rhythm problems. Global prevalence of atrial fibrillation is rising steadily and the healthcare burden as a result has been increasing owing to higher rates of atrial fibrillation-related hospital admissions. Atrial fibrillation leads to a chaotic or abnormal blood flow through heart chambers and the loss of effective atrial contraction leads to a 15-20% reduction in cardiac output. Obesity, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), hypertension, genetic predisposition, and valvular heart disease are some of the major risk factors with atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is associated with a significant increase in long-term risk of stroke, heart failure, and impaired quality of life. This has led to growing need for a renewed approach to AFib management and in turn has increased focused on modifying the risk factors for atrial fibrillation along with adjuvant drug therapy. Recent advancements in medical technology has resulted in greater understanding of atrial fibrillation and the mechanism of its onset, and this is expected to further drive revenue growth of the market over the forecast period.

Atrial fibrillation has been categorized into three primary forms based on the duration of the episode and these include paroxysmal AF, persistent AF, and long standing persistent AF. It is important to identify and determine the clinical significance of arrhythmia before the atrial fibrillation is to be treated. In addition, the field of AFib is evolving rapidly with the development of percutaneous and surgical interventional therapies as safe and viable alternatives to restore normal cardiac rhythm. Minimally invasive surgical modifications and the advent of hybrid ablation have further revolutionized the development of stand-alone procedures to cure atrial fibrillation with reduced morbidity. This is also expected to contribute significantly to revenue growth of the market going ahead. However, lack of awareness and understanding among patients about atrial fibrillation, need for more advanced healthcare facilities, and shortage of skilled professionals are some key factors expected to restrain market growth to a certain extent going ahead.

To identify the key trends in the industry, research study at https://www.reportsanddata.com/report-detail/atrial-fibrillation-market

Some Key Highlights from the Report:

Catheter ablation has been widely used to treat atrial fibrillation as an alternative to medical management and is effective for patients having persistent AFib and systolic dysfunction. Catheter ablation is an effective option to improve survival in patients with ventricular dysfunction, improve quality of life, and reduce arrhythmia-related hospital admissions. This has led to increasing preference for electrophysiology and cardiac ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and is expected to contribute steadily to revenue growth of the segment.

Ask for Customize Research Report @ https://www.reportsanddata.com/request-customization-form/1440

For the purpose of this report, Reports and Data has segmented the global atrial fibrillation market based on type, end-use, and region:

Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2018-2028)

End-Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2018-2028)

Buy Premium Research Report @https://www.reportsanddata.com/checkout-form/1440

Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion; 2018-2028)

Explore Latest Published Reports by Reports and Data:

Legal Marijuana MarketBy Product Type (Marijuana Flower, Extracts), By Strain (CBD-dominant, THC-dominant, Balanced CBD and THC), By Application (Recreational, Medical, Cosmetics, Others), By Species (Sativa, Indica, Hybrid), and By Region, Forecast to 2028

Blood Collection MarketBy Product (Needles & Syringes, Blood Collection Tubes, Blood Bags, Lancets, Blood Collection Systems & Monitors), By Application (Diagnostics, Therapeutics), By End-Use (Hospitals & Nursing Homes, Blood Banks, Diagnostics Centers & Laboratories, Others), and By Region Forecasts To 2028

Track Etched Membrane MarketSize, Share & Analysis, By Product (Membrane Filters, Capsule & Cartridge Filters, Others), By Material (Polycarbonate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polyimide), By Application (Cell Biology, Microbiology, Analytical Testing, Others), By End-Use Industry, And By Region, Forecast To 2028

Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays MarketSize, Share & Analysis, By Product (Consumables (Reagents, Antibodies, Assay Kits), Instruments), By Technology (Immunoassays, Molecular Diagnostics, Clinical Chemistry, Others), By Application (Research, In Vitro Diagnostics, Drug Discovery & Development), By End-Use, and By Region, Forecast To 2028

Hematologic Malignancies MarketSize, Share & Analysis, By Type (Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, Others), By Therapy (Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Immunotherapy, Stem Cell Transplantation), And By Region, Forecast To 2028

Disruptive Behavior Disorder Treatment MarketSize, Share & Analysis, By Type (Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder), By Treatment (Medication Management, Parenting Modification, Social & Emotional Skills Training, Comprehensive Evaluation, Individual Therapy, Family Therapy, Group Therapy), And By Region Forecast To 2028

About Reports and Data

Reports and Data is a market research and consulting company that provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. Our solutions purely focus on your purpose to locate, target, and analyze consumer behavior shifts across demographics, across industries, and help clients to make smarter business decisions. We offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across multiple industries, including Healthcare, Touch Points, Chemicals, Products, and Energy. We consistently update our research offerings to ensure our clients are aware of the latest trends existent in the market. Reports and Data has a strong base of experienced analysts from varied areas of expertise. Our industry experience and ability to develop a concrete solution to any research problems provides our clients with the ability to secure an edge over their respective competitors.

John WHead of Business DevelopmentReports And Data | Web: http://www.reportsanddata.comDirect Line: +1-212-710-1370E-mail: [emailprotected]LinkedIn | Twitter | Blogs

Read Latest Press Release @ https://www.reportsanddata.com/press-release/global-atrial-fibrillation-market

SOURCE Reports And Data

See original here:
Atrial Fibrillation Market Growth Driven by Technological Advancements in AFib Systems and Solutions and Rapidly Increasing Geriatric Population -...

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Could Regenerative Biology Work in Humans? – Harvard Magazine

♫ Wednesday, July 21st, 2021

Chop a three-banded panther worm in half, and the head and tail will swirl around as if nothing had happened. Even more astonishing, a few days later, the halves will grow to become two complete and almost indistinguishable worms.

Loeb associate professor of the natural sciences Mansi Srivastava has studied this process of healing and regeneration for more than a decade. Together with members of her research group, she has been working to uncover the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying whole-body regeneration, and tracing their evolutionary history. Understanding both these aspects of regeneration, she believes, could aid in efforts to develop the field of human regenerative medicine.

Srivastava chose to study the three-banded panther worm because this tiny, carnivorous Bermuda native is especially adept at whole-body regeneration: able to heal and then recreate an entire organism from even a small fragment of its body. Moreover, the species is sufficiently similar to planarians, worms widely studied in the field of regeneration biology, that scientists can make comparisons between the two species, whose last common ancestor lived 550 million years ago. If there are similarities in the molecular mechanisms they use to regenerate, Srivastava explains, identifying and investigating these shared elements could lead to an understanding of the fundamental principles controlling this feat.

An advance in this direction came in 2019 when her research group reported the discovery of a pioneer factor, a molecular agent responsible for initiating the cascade of genetic signals necessary for regeneration. In the moments after an injury, she explains, cells around the damaged site sound an alarm by generating proteins that activate the choreography of regeneration. But what intracellular factor causes the genes encoding those proteins to switch on? How does an incomplete animal know what is missing, and how to recreate it? Who or what decides how to proceed?

Her team probed these questions using a technique known as ATACseq that allowed them to zoom in on the structure of chromatinthe packaging material of cellular DNA. They focused on regions of the chromatin structure that opened up soon after amputation. These sites marked genes likely activated in response to injury. By analyzing the commonalities among multiple regions of open chromatin across many cells found near the damage site, Srivastava and colleagues were able to identify one such decision-maker, or factor responsible for the observed changes in the products of these activated genes. Known as EGR, the protein proved crucial for regeneration: when the researchers turned off its production, many of the genes that should have been switched on werentand the worm never regenerated.

This work provided a broad look, Srivastava says, at the early steps following amputation. Her team is currently developing a more detailed picture of these molecular events. To do so, they have applied the same analysis of the chromatin structure to individual cells of the worm. By looking at chromatin changes within single cells, they hope to learn exactly how the process that directs regeneration unfolds.

By tagging a single potentially pluripotent cell (above, at far left) with a red fluorescent protein, researchers can watch as it divides, eventually becoming a complete worm.

Courtesy of Mansi Srivastava

At the same time, Srivastava has turned her attention to the raw material the worms use to regenerate tissues, a form of adult stem cell called a neoblast. In response to amputation, these typically dormant cells wake up and undergo rapid bursts of division. A sort of cellular alchemy ensues, she explains: like embryonic stem cells, which are active during development, the neoblasts turn into neurons, muscles, skin, whatever you need. This ability to become any cell type, known as pluripotency, is a well-described feature of embryonic stem cells. But panther worms are somehow able to maintain pluripotency of neoblasts into adulthood.

By investigating the cellular origins of the worms embryonic and adult pluripotent stem cells, and characterizing the differences and similarities between the two, Srivastava hopes to learn how neoblasts persist and reawaken, and why human and other mammalian stem cells are limited in their regenerative capacities.

Using ultraviolet light to tag cells of interest and follow them during their life cycle, her team has made significant progress toward identifying the cellular lineage that gives rise to stem cells during the worms early development. We now want to use that same approach in adults, she says, to understand how the worms make and then maintain a neoblast, to keep it hanging out, happily pluripotent, in its body. I dont think my work is going to help anyone grow a limb five years from now, she adds, but I do think it could lead to an understanding of pluripotency, and how genomes are regulated during regeneration. That could lead to breakthroughs in the nascent field of human regenerative medicine.

Continued here:
Could Regenerative Biology Work in Humans? - Harvard Magazine

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Alberta and NWT Bishops OK vaccination for COVID Grandin Media – Grandin Media

♫ Thursday, December 3rd, 2020

When a vaccine is available to treat or prevent COVID-19, it is OK to take it.

Thats the message from the bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories in a pastoral letter to the faithful as they navigate for Catholics a path through a moral dilemma presented by COVID-19 vaccine development.

While many of the possible vaccines are synthetic and have no relationship to abortion in their production, several contenders were developed using cell lines descended from cells originally derived from aborted fetuses or embryonic stem cells.

The bishops reiterate Church support and encouragement of scientific research into COVID-19, and have decided openly to address the question of possible moral complicity of Catholics in the previous act of abortion.

Even if a vaccine is sourced from cell lines distantly derived from aborted human fetuses, which is an evil act according to Catholic teaching, the bishops say taking that vaccine is morally permissible given the remoteness of the recipient from the original act of abortion, the scarcity of ethical alternatives, and the grave threat that COVID-19 poses to public health.

While physicians and families should seek out ethical vaccines, the bishops say that use of previous cell lines is so prevalent in research that there may not be an ethical alternative accessible during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Making use of abortion to create cell lines for research and development is an affront to human dignity and cannot be morally justified, the bishops write. Sadly, such cell lines are so widely used in the biopharmaceutical industry that a vaccine that has not been ethically compromised in its production and/or testing by their use may very well not be available for employment against COVID-19.

With respect to someone simply receiving the vaccine, the degree of connection with the original evil act is so remote that, when there also exists a proportionately grave reason for vaccination, such as the current, urgent need to halt the COVID-19 pandemic, then the Church assures us that it is morally permissible for Catholics to receive it for the good of personal and public health.

The official teaching is saying then, if ethical (synthetic) vaccines are truly not available, then take this vaccine, said Dr. Moira McQueen, executive director of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute, who was part of a group advising the bishops on the vaccine letter. The level of moral cooperation by people in 2020 is what the Church would call remote.

Here we are talking about a pandemic. The idea is because of two factors lack of personal responsibility for an original action yet facing serious illness and needing to protect yourselves and your children Church teaching says and I think its reasonable, that in these circumstances taking any vaccine is justified. They wont say the action is right in the fullest sense, but they do say its justified. If an ethical vaccine comes along, you have to choose to use that one.

The bishops letter is in keeping with statements from the Pontifical Academy for Life, which studies issues of biomedicine and law. The Academy has addressed this issue in statements in 2005 and 2017.

Currently, no COVID-19 vaccines are approved by Health Canada. Once approved, Alberta anticipates receiving enough doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to initially immunize up to 435,000 Albertans who are most at-risk, between January and March 2021.

Alberta will roll out COVID-19 vaccines in three phases next year with the initial focus on the provinces most at-risk populations residents and staff of long-term care homes and assisted-living facilities, on-reserve First Nations people, and other health workers.

Premier Jason Kenney said the federal government has assured Alberta that shipments will begin to arrive by Jan. 4 and continue to arrive in waves early next year. Alberta will not make vaccination mandatory, but Kenney said its recommended.

McQueen was part a group of Catholic medical, legal and theological experts who wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau early in the pandemic, pressing for any vaccine to be ethically sourced.

Those two frontrunners, Moderna and Pfizer, are both Messenger RNA vaccines in which molecules are chemically synthesized. However, the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccines are sourced from cell lines that were originally abortion-derived, according to the Lozier Institute, a pro-life institute based in the U.S., which studied a range of vaccines under development.

Dr. David Evans, professor of medical microbiology at the University of Alberta, is quick to note that the vaccines are sourced differently and the bishops letter shouldnt be used as justification to refuse to be immunized.

Evans, a member of the advisory group to the bishops, leads a team that has studied the coronavirus extensively both with a commercial company, and his lab has also received some funding from the Department of Defence to develop its own vaccine although the local development will only come to light if the current frontrunners fail.

Still McQueen expects some Catholics and others to refuse a vaccine as a matter of conscience.

It may seem acceptable to some people not to take the vaccine and say they will stay at home and never leave. But I dont see how people could reasonably take a stance like that and then go out into society, as they must at some point and perhaps they are carriers, she said. Theres very much the reality of an individual conscience decision, which should always be respected. But that person always has to be thinking too about her or his responsibility to everybody else.

Catholic teaching on the common good is also a factor in making a good conscience decision, McQueen said.

Evans noted that any government-approved vaccine will be safe and effective, however its not yet known how long the immunity will last. Patients may have to be inoculated again with a booster after weeks or months.

Visit link:
Alberta and NWT Bishops OK vaccination for COVID Grandin Media - Grandin Media

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

The way prisoners flag guard abuse, inadequate health care and unsanitary conditions Is broken – injusticewatch.org

♫ Thursday, December 3rd, 2020

Randy Liebich curled up in a ball on his bed inside Stateville prison, about an hour outside Chicago. It was June 2010, and hed spent the night in a cold sweat, excruciating pain radiating from his back. For months, hed been filing complaints with prison officials about the lack of medical care. But the forms, known as grievances, got him nowhere.

One was denied, in part because hed already been to the doctor, and the denial noted hed received acetaminophen pain medication. Another complaint was deemed moot.

Investigations that expose, influence and inform. Emailed directly to you.

Now Liebich was in the worst pain of his life. According to medical records, a kidney stone had made it impossible for him to urinate. The men in nearby cells shouted for help.

Correctional officers took Liebich to the medical office, where, records show, a doctor used a hemostat, a tweezer-like surgical tool, to try to remove the stone through the tip of Liebichs penis. But the procedure failed, leaving the stone intact. About six hours passed that day before Liebich was driven to an outside hospital for emergency surgery.

When Liebich got back to the prison, he filed two more grievances about the poor medical treatment hed received. If staff had addressed his earlier complaints, he wrote, he could have avoided the procedure with the hemostat altogether. But prison officials denied those grievances too.

Liebich filed over a dozen more grievances related to his kidney condition over the next eight years, until a judge threw out his murder conviction in 2018 after finding his lawyers ignored key evidence. Prosecutors later dropped all charges, but Liebich says he still suffers trauma from his experience with the hemostat.

People locked inside prisons rely on grievances to complain if their needs, from health care to sanitation to safety, are unmet. The complaints are among their few means of recourse. But in Illinois, that system is sputtering, with little oversight, leaving prisoners vulnerable to harm, an investigation by WBEZ and ProPublica has found.

The state has paid millions to settle the claims of inmates, some of whom raised concerns early through grievances, only to later suffer serious injuries when authorities denied complaints or failed to act.

In one case, a prisoner at Stateville Correctional Center filed a grievance to complain about roaches crawling over him as he slept. He also said he had extreme pain in his ear and heard constant crackling. But he said his complaints were ignored by prison staff. Two weeks after his grievance, records show medical workers removed a bug from his ear. He later filed a lawsuit, alleging ear pain and hearing loss. The case was settled for $12,500, three and a half years after the first grievance. The state denied wrongdoing.

In another case, a man at Stateville spent months filing grievances and writing letters to prison officials about a protruding bolt near his bunk bed. The warden denied the grievances, because theyd been filed as emergencies, and he disagreed with the classification. Eight months after the prisoners initial complaint, he fell out of his bed and hit his eye on the bolt, resulting in disability and disfigurement, according to a lawsuit he filed. Records show he was treated by a doctor the same day. The state disputed the mans claims in court documents, but the parties agreed to a settlement in which the state paid the inmate $70,000.

In Liebichs case, he filed a lawsuit over the medical treatment he received and alleged that prison staff retaliated against him for complaining. The state denied wrongdoing but agreed to a settlement of $70,000.

The Illinois prison system, which had an average daily population of about 40,000 people last year, is now under federal oversight as part of a legal agreement to improve health care in state prisons. A court-appointed expert found in 2018 that the medical care was so poor that people were needlessly dying.

Because grievances can serve as early warnings for prison administrators about dangerous conditions, experts say tracking the complaints is critical.

But WBEZ and ProPublica found Illinois is faltering. The news organizations requested five years of data from the 15 largest prisons, showing the number of grievances and how they were resolved. Only seven were able to provide information that was complete enough to analyze. Some institutions had an entire year of data missing.

Hokyoung Kim for ProPublica

Of the grievances that were reviewed by prison officials, about 5% were decided in part, or in whole, in a prisoners favor. Inmates can appeal to a Department of Corrections review board, but the approval rate there was similar, the WBEZ-ProPublica analysis found.

States have different methods of tracking grievances, and its difficult to compare Illinois system to other jurisdictions, but experts said the findings suggest its not working as it should.

With a rate that low, it just seems like nobody believes in the system, said Dan Pacholke, former administrator for the Washington State Department of Corrections and co-author of a book on prison safety. It would certainly be concerning for me as a superintendent of a prison.

Others were more blunt.

What we have here is sort of the fox watching the henhouse, said Jenny Vollen-Katz, executive director of the John Howard Association, an independent citizen group that has monitored Illinois prisons for more than a century.

WBEZ and ProPublica sought an interview with state corrections officials over the course of four months, but the department declined multiple requests. In a written response, it said the approval rate appeared artificially low, in part, because of prolific grievance filers and frivolous complaints. It also noted that many grievances are resolved informally by counselors; about 13% of grievances in the analysis were withdrawn by the inmate before an official review.

Still, in response to a detailed outline of our findings, corrections officials said they were pursuing a number of measures to improve the grievance system, including plans to hire a chief inspector to oversee the statewide system. Officials also said the department would be transitioning to electronic grievances, a move that would make the system more efficient and data easier to track.

The operation of a fair and consistent grievance process is a high priority for the Department, and we are working diligently to improve the current system, the department said in the statement. Through the implementation of significant reforms and an increase in oversight, we can ensure the concerns of men and women in custody are addressed in a timely manner.

Prison watchdog groups and some lawmakers lauded the changes, but they said Illinois system needs a bigger overhaul with more oversight. Some are pushing a proposal to create an ombudsman that would investigate complaints about the department.

Illinois State Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Democrat and former head of the House Restorative Justice Committee, said family members of people in prison regularly call his office asking for help with a grievance. He commended the departments proposed changes but said officials need to make sure that theres a process in place that will allow for the best outcomes for the people making grievances.

You cannot be the judge and the jury and the prosecutor.

In the fall of 1971, nearly 1,300 prisoners took over Attica Correctional Facility in New York to protest abuse and poor living conditions. It was one of the most violent prison standoffs in U.S. history, leaving 43 people dead. Over the next few years, other prison uprisings broke out across the country, as the prison rights movement grew. A report from the U.S. Department of Justice said the lack of grievance systems had probably made these incidents inevitable, because prisoners had no other way to get their needs heard.

Toussaint Losier, a professor of Afro-American studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst who has studied American prisons, said grievance systems emerged in this era to create a safety valve to let off some of the steam that could build up over time. But states also had another incentive. Lawsuits filed by prisoners were clogging the federal court system; by 1974, 1 in 20 civil cases filed in federal court were prison civil rights cases, according to Margo Schlanger, a professor of civil rights law at the University of Michigan and a leading expert on prison litigation. Federal judges called for another venue to evaluate complaints. As one put it, if prisoners had a fair alternative, theyd choose that over the delayed process of the courts.

But even after states created grievance systems, the deluge of lawsuits continued. A study from the early 1980s found people incarcerated at two Illinois prisons thought the states grievance system was wholly institution controlled and rarely yielding favorable or even impartial results.

To stem the tide of lawsuits, Congress passed the Prison Litigation Reform Act, or PLRA, in 1996. The legislation made grievances critical by requiring inmates to exhaust the prisons internal grievance system before filing a lawsuit. A co-sponsor of the bill, Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., said it would prevent frivolous and malicious lawsuits filed by prison inmates. Opponents, including then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., argued the bill unwisely limited the courts power to protect the constitutional rights of people behind bars. The results of the law were striking. The number of lawsuits filed per prisoner shrank by more than 50% over the next two decades, according to Schlanger.

But thats not because prisoners problems were suddenly being addressed through grievances. In fact, some experts say the PLRA may have actually made grievance systems worse. After the law passed, some corrections officials raised administrative hurdles for the complaints, and in doing so made it harder to file lawsuits. Schlanger said prison officials in some states threw out grievances for tiny technical violations, like writing in the wrong color ink.

In Illinois, the state Department of Corrections reduced the window of time within which prisoners can file most grievances from six months to 60 days. It also limited outside oversight of appeals, eliminating a rule that required at least one review board member to come from outside the department. The agency did not respond to a question about the changes.

But officials did note that one reason the approval rate of grievances is so low is because prisoners make technical mistakes, like missing a deadline.

There was a huge incentive to make the grievance process as complicated and as impossible to complete properly as they could, said Alan Mills, a lawyer and executive director of the Uptown Peoples Law Center who has spent decades representing prisoners in Illinois.

Instead of protecting prisoners rights, Mills said grievance systems instead work to protect the department and its employees from lawsuits. In 2011, Mills was part of a team that filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing prisoners who werent getting hearing aids or access to interpreters. The plaintiffs argued that they were unable to participate in education programs, stay in contact with loved ones or discuss medical issues with doctors. Mills estimates it took lawyers 18 months to figure out how to exhaust the grievance process so they could move forward with the lawsuit. For example, Mills said, sometimes prison officials would only respond to one issue in a grievance even if a prisoner had listed several issues. This made it unclear if the other issues had been denied, ignored or granted leaving the prisoner unsure if they needed to file additional grievances.

This is 10 extremely qualified, experienced lawyers trying to figure out how to navigate this process. Imagine what somebody who dropped out of sixth grade and is sitting in a jail cell with no resources at all; how they can ever figure out how to make it through that process? Mills said.

The lawsuit later settled with the state agreeing to provide accommodations for deaf and hard of hearing prisoners.

In the spring of 2011, officers at Lincoln Correctional Center ordered about 200 women out of their housing unit. Wielding batons and shields, officers marched the prisoners into a gymnasium and conducted a series of strip-searches, according to a lawsuit the women filed in federal court.

The women were then forced to spread their buttocks and vaginas in view of male staff, and officers made derogatory comments about their bodies, according to the lawsuit. The women, who alleged the search constituted cruel and unusual punishment, also said they were forced to remove tampons and bled on themselves while they waited for others to be searched.

A lawyer for the Department of Corrections denied those claims of mistreatment and said the search was necessary to keep the facility safe from contraband. A jury decided against the prisoners, but the women appealed on different constitutional grounds and that case is ongoing.

Dozens of the women said they filed grievances over the strip-search. But as time passed, many didnt get an answer. Later, the nonprofit John Howard Association conducted a monitoring visit to the prison. According to its report, the group said it heard a significant number of consistent, unsolicited, and independent reports about the strip-search and missing grievances. But the group said that when it asked prison administrators about it, they could not locate a single grievance related to the incident. Nevertheless, the nonprofits report said officials there acknowledged problems with the grievance system and said they made changes to improve tracking.

Maggie Burke, a former state corrections official who retired as warden of Logan Correctional Center in 2017, said grievances routinely disappeared. If it was just an occasional my grievance disappeared, I would think that it was someone who was exaggerating, she said, adding, But it happened a lot.

The problem was so bad that when she became the statewide coordinator for women and family services within the department about two years after the strip-search incident she added locked boxes that only she and her assistant could access. That gave prisoners a direct and more secure way to express concerns or send her grievances.

The system is critical, Burke said, because people may act out violently or create other problems when their grievances arent addressed.

Dwaine Coleman said thats what he did while incarcerated at Vienna Correctional Center in 2014 for marijuana possession. He complained of excruciating back pain, and prison records show he had previously been diagnosed with sciatica. But he said a doctor did little more than tell him to eat well and exercise. So he filed a grievance asking to see another doctor.

A month passed before a corrections counselor wrote that the care Coleman was receiving was appropriate, and the grievance went up the chain of command. Two weeks later, he had yet to get a decision from the warden. Desperate to grab the attention of senior prison officials, Coleman tied his prison-issued bed sheet in knots and began flushing it, bit by bit, down the toilet. The water gushed over the bowl, flooding his cell, according to court records.

The grievance system is a joke. So you kind of have to act out to get your needs met, Coleman said in an interview. When you start to act out, there are incident reports that have to be sent all around, and now theres a paper trail and a lot more people are getting involved.

Coleman said his attempts backfired though and tensions between him and the staff continued to escalate. A few days after the toilet incident, Coleman said he got into an argument with a correctional officer during a medical evaluation, according to a lawsuit he filed. On the way back from the health care unit, Coleman alleged, the officer rammed his head into a doorway. A dental record from about two weeks later shows a chipped tooth. During a civil trial, the officer denied assaulting him. But a jury decided in Colemans favor and awarded him $35,000 in punitive damages.

Coleman did eventually get a decision from the warden on his health care grievance three months after he filed it. The complaint was denied, saying the care he received was appropriate.

Few prisoners in Illinois have faith in the grievance system. Just 5% considered it effective, according to a 2019 survey by the John Howard Association, which collected responses from 12,780 prisoners across the state. And only 13% said they felt comfortable filing a grievance.

The biggest reason that people dont feel comfortable is fear of retaliation, said Vollen-Katz, executive director of the watchdog group.

After Liebich filed grievances complaining about the poor medical care hed received for his kidney stone, he said staff began to view him as a nuisance. In January 2011 officers came to his cell and, according to court records, insisted that he give a urine sample for a drug test.

Hokyoung Kim for ProPublica

Liebich told the correctional officers that his kidney condition made that difficult. Officers told him that if he didnt urinate in the next two hours hed be sent to the hole, officially known as segregation. Its a part of the facility where prisoners are sent as punishment, infamous for being filthy, full of bugs and vermin. (In fact, the conditions were so bad that officials shut down that section of the prison in 2016, though it was reopened for COVID-19 quarantining this year.) For Liebich, the pressure to provide a urine sample felt immense. So, with minutes left to his deadline, he asked if he could have more time.

The guards refused and took him to segregation, according to prison records. Because staff knew his trouble with urination, he believes the whole incident was meant to punish him for filing grievances.

Liebichs lawyer sent emails to the warden, letting him know about Liebichs medical condition. But according to records provided by the lawyer, the warden responded that Liebich would need to address his problem through the grievance process.

Five days after the drug test incident, Liebich filed a complaint over being sent to segregation. The officer that reviewed his grievance recommended the warden approve it, according to prison records, but the warden disagreed and Liebich remained in segregation. Still, in August 2011, Liebich pressed forward with a lawsuit alleging poor medical treatment and retaliation. In court documents, prison officials agreed that Liebich was sent to segregation for failure to provide a urine sample, but they denied that officers were acting in retaliation.

The state agreed to a settlement of $70,000 in January 2015, four years after Liebich filed his grievance over his punishment.

Civil rights lawyers, former prison administrators and prisoners say the only way more people behind bars will get their concerns addressed is with independent oversight and increased transparency.

Currently, the entire grievance process is overseen by the Corrections Department.

Grievances first go to a counselor who attempts to resolve the complaint. If they cannot, a grievance officer evaluates the case and makes a recommendation to the warden, who renders a decision. If a prisoner is dissatisfied with the response, they can send their complaint to a statewide board that reviews grievance appeals called the Administrative Review Board.

The whole process can be time consuming.

The state Corrections Department would not say if it had any data showing the speed at which prisons resolved grievances. Records, however, suggest that many complaints were reviewed slowly, or not at all. Over a third of appeals were thrown out because the prisoner had already been released or died by the time the review board evaluated them.

Of those that were reviewed, 7% were found partially or wholly in favor of the prisoner. The panel evaluates thousands of grievances a month. Complaints can range from a missing radio to guard abuse.

When youre seeing that many grievances, its easy to go, Yeah. OK. You know, that one I dont really have time for, said Joni Stahlman, former assistant deputy director of the womens division who sat on the Administrative Review Board in the early 2000s. Theres that tricky line of fairness and getting the work done.

Prison advocates point to a more fundamental issue though: While the four members of the board do not work at any individual prison, they are still employed by the Corrections Department and appointed by the director. Sitting on the current board are two members who previously worked clerical jobs within the department and one who formerly worked inside a prison as a correctional counselor. Vollen-Katz, of the John Howard Association, said thats not true independence. We are asking a closed system to police itself, she said.

Vollen-Katz said one step the state could take would be to create a corrections ombudsman who could investigate complaints and find solutions. Mills, the civil rights lawyer, agreed, saying the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice already has such a person who gets copies of all the grievances so that they can track them, find trends, figure out problems, and then bring them to the attention of the department to fix.

An ombudsman in the adult system, he said, would be a huge, huge step forward.

In order for it to be effective, though, the position would need complete autonomy, enforcement capabilities and the power to share information with lawmakers and the public, advocates said. Other states, like New Jersey and Washington, already have a corrections ombudsman, and last year Illinois state lawmakers submitted a bill to create one. But the legislation stalled.

Illinois State Rep. Rita Mayfield, who co-sponsored the ombudsman bill, said she planned to revive the legislation next year. She said one of her central motivations was discovering and fixing problems before they become expensive lawsuits.

What can we do to reduce these losses? What is wrong with the system? What can we correct to better utilize those tax dollars? Mayfield said. The Department of Corrections would not answer questions about its stance on an ombudsman.

Losier, the professor who has studied prisons, said another key change to the grievance system should be more transparency. New York state, for example, issues yearly reports on what types of grievances are filed and how the department handles them. That allows the public and lawmakers to monitor whats happening inside. But Illinois issues no such report.

New Yorks Corrections Department also maintains a database that tracks staff involved in misconduct and abuse claims, so the department can look for patterns. But in Illinois, despite records showing staff misconduct is one of the largest issues for prisoners, the department doesnt track grievances by guard name.

Burke, the former warden, said that having that information, even internally, would be helpful. If we have, you know, 90% of our grievances are on one person, then we know that theres a problem there.

Pacholke, the former administrator for the Washington State Department of Corrections, agreed, saying data collection is critical. If youre not tracking it, the next thing you know, something really horrific or tragic can happen, he said.

Neither the Corrections Department nor AFSCME, the union that represents most front-line corrections staff, responded to questions about the potential of tracking complaints about correctional officers.

In Liebichs case, problems within the prison persisted.

In January 2018, after his lawsuit was settled, the staff decided to test him for drugs again, according to discipline records. When he couldnt provide a urine sample, officers sent him back to segregation.

They just went through this with me. They know I have these medical issues, Liebich said in an interview. They know I had a civil suit about it, and they turn around and they did the same thing to me again.

Liebich spent his days in a cramped cell. The prison allowed inmates to leave their cells for mental health groups. Liebich said sessions were held in the former execution area, from when Illinois had the death penalty.

You can literally feel the hairs on your arms and your neck stand up, Liebich said. He felt powerless.

In January 2019, Liebich filed a second lawsuit against the prison over retaliation. Later that year the state agreed to settle and paid him $25,000, but denied wrongdoing.

Today, he said he still has nightmares about his time inside segregation.

Its frightening to think that they can do this to us and get away with it, Liebich said, and theres nobody that we can really go to for help.

The rest is here:
The way prisoners flag guard abuse, inadequate health care and unsanitary conditions Is broken - injusticewatch.org

♫ Posted in Legal Issues Stem Cells | | Comments Off»

Page 112 3 4..»

StemCell Therapy

Archive for the ‘Legal Issues Stem Cells’ Category

The Science Of Health: Are Spinal Cord Injuries Irreversible? Know Science Advances That Can Cure Them In The Future – ABP Live

Biden Weaponized Health Care on Abortion, Transgender, COVID-19 – Daily Signal

Can This Company’s Research Help Transform Regenerative Medicine As Its Lead Product Receives FDA IND Approval? – Marketscreener.com

BIOADAPTIVES, INC. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (form 10-Q) – Marketscreener.com

Testol 140 Review, Real Testol-140 Reviews Before and After Results – Dailyuw

With fewer inmates (and officers), Michigan closes another prison – Bridge Michigan

Can California deliver on its zero-emission car goal? – Los Angeles Times

Researchers revive abandoned technique in effort to make artificial human eggs in a test tube – STAT

‘Incredibly prejudicial’: Why Sacramento courts have caged cells, and why that’ll change – Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

Ethical Issues in Stem Cell Research – PubMed Central (PMC)

Dream Body Clinic Stem Cell Therapy Stem Cells HGH

Stem cells | healthdirect

Human Embryonic Stem Cells | The Embryo Project Encyclopedia

Stem cells, through a religious lens Harvard Gazette

Scientists identify 2nd HIV patient whose body rid itself of virus – National Herald

Need to streamline research on CRISPR gene-editing technology: Experts – Business Standard

Atrial Fibrillation Market Growth Driven by Technological Advancements in AFib Systems and Solutions and Rapidly Increasing Geriatric Population -…

Could Regenerative Biology Work in Humans? – Harvard Magazine

Alberta and NWT Bishops OK vaccination for COVID Grandin Media – Grandin Media

The way prisoners flag guard abuse, inadequate health care and unsanitary conditions Is broken – injusticewatch.org

Categories

Archives

Recommended Sites

Recent Posts