Genetics and Society

From promoting misinformation and upending vaccine schedules to silencing stakeholders and advancing unethical research, RFK Jr. has blazed a trail of destruction in his 1 year leading HHS. Congress should hold him accountable for his record. thelancet.com/journals/lance…

However, some say the “huge lack of trust” in the FDA will affect development of and investment in drugs that could fit into the new pathway. 3/3 cen.acs.org/pharmaceutical…

At a press event, the FDA explained the new “plausible mechanism” pathway of drug approval, which could help develop individualized gene therapies for rare diseases. 2/3

During the Trump administration, the FDA’s review process has shifted considerably. Some companies were startled by drug rejections after following agency criteria for approval. Families of children with rare diseases have been repeatedly disappointed.1/3 nytimes.com/2026/03/05/hea…

Australian clinic chain Monash IVF will pay financial settlements to families who were involved in high-profile embryo mix-ups and will add additional safeguards. The state’s fertility regulator imposed stricter rules on Monash IVF last November. abc.net.au/news/2026-03-0…

Clinical trials suggest that CAR-T cells, which scientists create by extracting and genetically reprogramming T cells to destroy specific cells, and infusing them back into the body, could treat autoimmune conditions in addition to blood cancers. newyorker.com/culture/annals…

In LARB's Legacies of Eugenics, Margaret Eby asks, “What are we to make of white women physicians who… contributed [to better] care for women and children, celebrated women’s participation in civic and professional leadership, and were avid eugenicists?” lareviewofbooks.org/article/white-…

An Australian couple had a child via surrogacy in Argentina last year, but around the same time, Argentina changed its regulations around surrogacy, and the surrogate is currently recognized as the legal parent. 1/2

His remarks reflect his longstanding reliance on eugenic ideas to praise some groups for their “good genes” and demonize other groups and their “bad genes.” nbcnews.com/politics/donal…

In an interview with Fox News, Trump blamed “the genetics” and previous presidents’ immigration policies for recent attacks on a synagogue, on the New York mayor’s house, and on a university in Virginia. 1/2

Hawai’i passed legislation updating the state’s parentage laws, incorporating assisted reproduction and surrogacy. The new law strengthens protections for LGBTQIA+ parents and their children. mauinow.com/2026/01/04/new…

After disputes related to surrogacy arrangements involving foreign clients, proposed legislation in Kazakhstan would ban surrogacy for foreigners. It would still allow citizens to access surrogacy but would impose more regulations on surrogacy agencies. kz.kursiv.media/en/2026-02-03/…

The Australian govt has advised against pursuing surrogacy in Argentina. Surrogacy operates in a grey area in Argentina, and authorities appear to be taking steps to block surrogacy, including by refusing entry of foreign intended parents to the country. 9news.com.au/world/argentin…

Surrogacy can bring medical complications, but also financial burdens, for surrogates in the U.S. Without regulation, surrogates end up being responsible for medical bills and legal fees that intended parents or surrogacy agencies were supposed to pay. wsj.com/us-news/surrog…

However, he emphasized that true justice would only be possible in a world where she had not been harmed by medical racism in the first place. nytimes.com/2026/02/27/us/…

The pharmaceutical company Novartis agreed to a settlement with the family of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman whose cells were taken from her without her consent in 1951. The family’s lawyer said they were satisfied with the settlement. 1/2

Authorities in the state of Maharashtra, India made arrests after investigating what they believe to be an illegal egg donation operation, in which financially vulnerable women donate their eggs for profit. progress.org.uk/arrests-in-ind…

Scientists and companies attempts' to reduce intelligence to genetics provide fodder for eugenic arguments. Scientists should do more to counter weaponization of genetics research and should push for regulation of repro-genetic technologies. truthout.org/articles/repro…

The rise of “looksmaxxing” is linked to Trump and his allies’ efforts to mainstream white nationalism, eugenics and the idea that “a certain kind of person belongs in America.” npr.org/2026/02/27/nx-…

The GMO industry has been working toward the capability to genetically engineer living organisms at environmental scales in real time. So-called “outdoor” gene editing poses risks not acknowledged by politicians and lobbyists advocating for deregulation. gmwatch.org/en/106-news/la…