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Controversial Company Offers a New Way To Make a Baby (sciencemag.org)
sciencehabit writes: A controversial fertility company called OvaScience is preoccupied by an enduring mystery in human biology--why eggs fail--and the palpable hope that we can do something about it. The company offers a new treatment, called AUGMENT, based on what it considers to be egg precursor cells found in a woman's ovaries. AUGMENT, which costs UP TO $25,000, along with thousands more in clinic fees and roughly $25,000 for the IVF cycle that must accompany it, relies on mitochondria from putative egg precursor cells to boost the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Seventeen babies have been born so far. The company, which has attracted hundreds of millions of dollars from investors, is poised to introduce a second treatment. But many scientists doubt that egg precursor cells actually exist.
Hush! Why do you want more fertile people, this planet is overpopulated as it is!
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
It's disputed that it works, but 17 babies have been created by this procedure so far.
No. 17 babies have been created by IVF. Whether it would have worked without AUGMENT is at debate.
So, does it work or doesn't it?
Yes, that's the question
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
This discussion should end right here. It will not of course.
The real question is though, will those 17 be Jedi?
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
It's disputed that it works, but 17 babies have been created by this procedure so far. So, does it work or doesn't it?
That's exactly the question. The procedure consists of IVF plus "mitochondria from putative egg precursor cells." We know IVF works, but do the mitochondria help?
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
Or, you know, you could spend that money helping out children who already exist and who could really use some support. Why do humans feel the need to 'own' everything, even other life forms that have free will of their own?
I am not interested in articles about life extension advancements.
Ah, so the IVF isn't in doubt, it's whether the stuff they do before is actually doing anything or doubles as some ritual dance. Gotcha, thanks.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
In the places where people can afford a procedure like this, there is no overpopulation problem. Every couple deserves a fair shot at parenthood.
The perfect scam, we take your egg, perform some woogie that you can't see or verify, but trust us, it works.
these wealthy people don't just adopt.
You don't understand; the wealthy people want to try to pass on the wealthy gene.
"Oh no... he found the
Who is going to pay for the fair shot of those that can't throw 50 grand at it?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
The government of course. Who else?
The thing about babies is that when they arrive they change everything in your life. Some for the better and some worse. Generally they mostly change your attitude about life for most people. There are some sad exceptions though.
That's like worrying about whales pissing in the ocean.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
Whether someone else should pay for a procedure like this is a totally different question.
What a shame.
I'm pretty sure this is how get Khan. The badass one from the original series.
"I don't which is worse, that everyone has a price, or that the price is always so low"--Hobbes
First of all your original question is nonsense, the planet is in no way 'overpopulated', you are showing your dictatorial attitudes there. Secondly being able to buy something with a stack of cash is the most fair and democratic way to distribute resources (and services) as long as the system is a free market capitalism (which is hard to find nowadays). You get your free fair shot at the end of each intercourse. If you don't have somebody to do that with, who is supposed to provide you with a fair shot at it? Should I omen be compelled by the force of the government to let you have a go, so that you may attempt to duplicate your genetic material? Well, given that the usa and some other governments have been overtaken by feminists, which led to the welfare state, I doubt you could achieve that sort of 'fairness'.
You can't handle the truth.
Hush! Why do you want more fertile people, this planet is overpopulated as it is!
Even China, which until last week, had a one child policy, now has relaxed that to two. Reason is that they think they have a shortage of people - despite it being well above a billion. Should say something.
A good solution to the population problem could be exchange of populations. If Russia and India swapped populations, the density would be pretty even. You could fit India's entire population comfortably in Siberia, and send all Russians into India. One would then realize whether the world is over-populated or not
We have too many humans on this planet already, we don't need more ways to make more humans! You want to raise a child? Go adopt one, there are plenty of children out there without families to take care of them, and you'll be doing human civilization in general several favors in the process, not the least of which is ensuring that one or more human children have a better chance of growing up to be well-adjusted and successful members of society, instead of being all screwed up because they bounced back and forth between foster homes.
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
China's problem was one of demographics. Not so much the total number of people, but the age distribution. If you have a large preponderance of old people, all you get is email.
Not so good for the 21st Century.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
Obama forced a fix onto us but it only made healthcare MORE expensive and complicated. :-(
Not until we get to 9 women and 1 month.
Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
China did not eliminate its one child policy because it wanted more population growth. It has in fact been relaxing it for years and did away with it entirely because of the social problems it causes:
* in traditional Chinese culture male offspring are highly valued and when allowed only one child many couples abort female fetuses. In rare but all too numerous cases newborn girls have even been killed just after birth. The result is that there are 10s of millions more men in China than women now. The one child policy has been relaxed for years to allow women to have a second child if their first was female to help balance the population. This has virtually eliminated infanticide but has been slow in re balancing population.
* measures to enforce one child policy have been very cruel, such as the common policy of denying anaesthetic to women in labour with their second child and clawback of social assistance and forced sterilisation of women without consent immediately after the birth of a child.
* the significantly greater number of young men to young women has been attributed to problems with sex crimes from human trafficking to gang rapes, though much of the evidence is anecdotal
* there are now a couple of generations of people in China raised as only children. These children have been doted upon and spoiled rotten by parents and grandparents all their lives, turning many of them into entitled "little emperors". The lack of empathy towards others and lack of respect towards elders has been unsettling to older Chinese where those traits are very important in traditional culture. It has led to institutionalisation of seniors that was almost unheard of as well as exploitation of workers and in extreme, occasional cases, incidents such as people ignoring a toddler run over by a car dying in the street while everyone goes on about their business.
Anyways population is self limiting as societies develop and direct population control has been shown to backfire. Allowing those with the means and desire to have fertility treatments to conceive is probably a net benefit to society on the whole when properly regulated. At least these parents really want to be parents and have the means and the drive to be good parents.
I am posting as AC because I am an 'illegal' immigrant and I want to get pregnant.
Send photos, vital stats, and recent health certificate, some of us may be able to help you out there...
Japan's decline in population has social reasons, not medical ones. Can't cure a disease by treating the symptoms.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Perhaps people in Africa who don't have any wealth shouldn't be creating children. People who can afford treatments can also afford to raise children. So you're the idiot.
That's like worrying about whales pissing in the ocean.
Now I will never be able to enjoy drinking ocean water, you insensitive clod!
That's like saying he was pro-Russian. He was a psychopath. He would use anyone to further his objective. Then when they were not useful anymore and not in his plan - they'd be killed just like he turned on the Russians.
The enemy of your enemy may still be your enemy as well. Use your brain. Don't get lazy. If you don't, it can often get you killed.
Just use the good old traditional way. Have sex up to 3 times a day, repeat until she's pregnant.
It's a lot of work, I know.
Overpopulation is a global problem. Shit, even California where there are tens of thousands who can afford.