- Supper
- Posts
- Are Frozen Embryos Real Babies?
Are Frozen Embryos Real Babies?
Get smarter in 1,200 words or less. Medical and public health updates
Supper Team
February 25, 2024
Your weekly dose of The Supper
In this week’s email:
Alabama court rules frozen embryos are real children.
TB cases rebound higher than pre-covid levels.
England sees spike!
A bite from your venomous pet lizard can be deadly.
A closer look at the Bubonic Plague.
Can hemorrhoids lead to Cancer?
Measles outbreak in South Florida.
Norovirus (stomach bug) slams the Northeast.
Pittsburgh AI medical company raises $150 million. Scroll to the bottom.
|
Recent Alabama Court Ruling on Stored Embryos
The Alabama Supreme Court has recently made a landmark ruling that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law. This decision has raised concerns about its potential impact on in vitro fertilization (IVF) practices and has caused significant alarm among doctors, patients, and reproductive rights advocates. The ruling was issued in response to a pair of wrongful death cases brought by couples whose frozen embryos were destroyed.
The implications of this ruling extend beyond Alabama, as it could potentially influence common practices at fertility clinics both within and outside the state. In fact, it is the first time a court has ever bestowed rights and protections on frozen embryos, effectively establishing them as legal entities. The court's decision has prompted a large Alabama hospital to pause its IVF treatments, as healthcare providers grapple with the potential ramifications of this ruling.
The ruling has sparked widespread debate and concern within the medical and legal communities. Critics argue that granting legal personhood to frozen embryos could have far-reaching consequences, potentially restricting reproductive rights and hindering scientific advancements in assisted reproductive technologies. On the other hand, supporters believe that the ruling recognizes the moral and legal significance of these embryos and protects their potential lives. Read More…
by Nick Bostock
TB cases in England rose by nearly 11% in 2023 compared with the previous year - surging to levels higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, officials have warned. Read More… Subscription needed.
In his own house – Killed by a Venomous Pet Monster
The creatures are venomous reptiles native to the south-western United States. Their bites are not normally fatal to humans. Tthe victim may have suffered an allergic reaction.
The last human death from such a bite is believed to have been in 1930.
Gila monsters are the largest lizards in the country and can grow to about 22 inches (56cm) in length, according to the Smithsonian Institution. They are named after the Gila River.
The creature that bit the man on Monday 12 February was a juvenile that measured about 12 inches long. He was taken to hospital and died last Friday.
The Jefferson County coroner's office has performed an autopsy but is conducting additional toxicology testing to determine a precise cause of death.
It is illegal to own Gila monsters in the state without a license. The man also owned tarantulas, which are not illegal to own. A Colorado Parks and Wildlife criminal investigator told CBS his team had been asked to remove the two Gila monsters from the home.
The desert-dwelling lizards will be taken to a wildlife rehab in another state, but the animal that bit the man will first be transported this week to a lab at the University of Northern Colorado. There, its venom will be extracted and studied to learn more about why its bite led to its owner's death. Read More..
Bubonic plague was detected in the Oregon resident. It is caused by the plague bacterium accompanied by symptoms like fever, headache, weakness, and painful or swollen lymph nodes. However, the good news is antibiotics are proven superheroes if you catch up with your doctor at the right time. The surprising fact is that this plague never goes out of style, making about 80 % of the cases being reported each year. Read More..
Bubonic plague is an infection spread mostly to humans by infected fleas that travel on rodents. Called the Black Death, it killed millions of Europeans during the Middle Ages. Prevention doesn’t include a vaccine, but does involve reducing your exposure to mice, rats, squirrels and other animals that may be infected. Cleveland Clinic
In short, no. Hemorrhoids don’t cause or increase your risk for colon or rectal cancer. However, the two conditions may be mistaken for one another because they can produce similar symptoms, such as rectal bleeding, itching, and pain. Read More..
Florida Defies CDC in Measles Outbreak, Telling Parents It’s Fine to Send Unvaccinated Kids to School
by Amy Maxmen
“I don’t know why the health department wouldn’t follow the CDC recommendations,” said Thresia Gambon, president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a pediatrician who practices in Miami and Broward, the county affected by the current measles outbreak. “Measles is so contagious. It is very worrisome.” Read More..
by Lauren Irwin
A stomach virus known as the “norovirus” is spreading across the Northeast region of the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The three-week average positive tests for norovirus in the region reached 13.9 percent in recent weeks and held above a 10 percent positive rate since the middle of December 2023.
While the northeast region is experiencing a high number of positive norovirus cases, CDC data show that other regions are seeing positive tests in recent weeks too. The South has 9.5 percent, the Midwest has hovered around 10 percent and the West has about 12%.
Norovirus is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea and foodborne illness in the United States, the CDC said. People of all ages can become infected and the illness spreads “very easily and quickly.”
The CDC said that people can contract norovirus many times in their lifetime because there are many different types of the virus. Becoming infected with “one type of norovirus may not protect you against other types,” the advisory said.
People may develop protection against specific types of norovirus but it’s not known how long a protection may last.
Outbreaks occur most frequently during late fall, winter and early spring. Symptoms also include fever, headache, dehydration and body aches.
The CDC recommends washing your hands well with soap and water, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces with bleach, and washing laundry with hot water to prevent the spread of norovirus.
There are 19 to 21 million illnesses in the U.S. due to norovirus each year, most commonly from November to April. There are about 109,000 hospitalizations each year and 900 deaths, most commonly among older adults, the CDC said.
PITTSBURGH’S, Abridge, the leader in generative AI for clinical documentation, announced an additional $150 million investment, leveraging momentum from their product’s rapid uptake among health systems throughout the nation. This raise comes just 4 months after their $30M Series B, and is one of the largest funding rounds made to date in generative AI for healthcare. Read More….
Reply