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Biomedical subjects

D Nelkin

Publications and source records attributed to D Nelkin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Molecular metaphors: the gene in popular discourse.

Geneticists deploy a striking range of metaphors to communicate their science, to promote its value and to suggest its social meaning to the public. So too, critics of science and special interest groups use metaphorical constructs to express their concerns about the implications of the 'genetic revolution'. Through metaphors, genetics can seem a source of salvation or a means of exploitation, a boon to health or a source of risk. This paper is a critical review of the metaphors used to communicate genetic information to the public.

Communication↗
PubMed2000

Displaced agendas: current regulatory strategies for germline gene therapy.

Recent developments in biotechnology are radically affecting the nature of reproduction and the manner in which we approach disease. In particular, germline gene therapy, or the insertion of genetic material into cells while they are developing and dividing, offers the promise of eradicating genetic defects in humans during embryonic development. In this article, the authors argue that the social and ethical implications of the developments in the field of germline gene therapy have not yet received adequate consideration. Unlike previous technologies which targeted already-developed cells, germline gene therapy can potentially correct and eliminate genetic deficiencies at the developmental stages of a cell. This raises issues of genetic enhancement beyond the therapeutic applications of this technology. However, the authors submit that an established pattern of subordinating social and ethical issues to technical and scientific debate in the regulatory arena is repeating itself in the case of discussions over germline gene therapy. The authors suggest that the American scientific regulatory process fails to fully meet the challenges of this technology, particularly because social and ethical issues are not formally considered in the existing process. They therefore suggest that American regulatory agencies should look to the approach taken by Europe with regard to germline gene therapy as an emerging technology, and that it may be necessary to incorporate effective public debate over social and ethical concerns into a regulatory process which is primarily concerned only with the efficacy of new technologies.

Biotechnology↗
PubMed1998

Do the dead have interests? Policy issues for research after life.

The importance of establishing rights in a dead body has been, and will continue to be, magnified by scientific advancements. The recent explosion of research and information concerning biotechnology has created a market place in which human tissues are routinely sold to and by scientists, physicians and others. The human body is a valuable resource.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1997

The revival of eugenics in American popular culture.

This paper explores the possibility of a "new eugenics" from the perspective of American popular culture. Several related ideas have been expressed in recent popular sources: differential rates of reproduction among different groups are threatening the future; there are "lives not worth living"; and the threats of disability are sufficient to justify limiting reproductive rights. These beliefs draw on assumptions that the future will depend on controlling the genetic constitution of the species. Popular ideas about the powers of the gene, we argue, are laying the basis for policies controlling reproduction for the common good.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1996

An uneasy relationship: the tensions between medicine and the media.

The enduring tensions between medicine and the media are largely due to the different perspectives of biomedical scientists and journalists, as this final essay in the series on medicine and the media underscores. These tensions arise because of perceived differences in defining science news, conflicts over styles of science reporting, and most of all disagreement about the role of the media. In the 1990s, scientists are especially concerned by media messages that question their credibility. Since scientists and journalists depend on each other in the communication of science and the shaping of the public meaning of science and medicine, the tensions are likely to increase.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1996

The social dynamics of genetic testing: the case of Fragile-X.

This article considers a program to screen school children for Fragile-X Syndrome as a way to explore several features of the growing practice of genetic testing in American society. These include the common practice of predictive testing in nonclinical settings; the economic, entrepreneurial, and policy interests that are driving the development of genetic screening programs; and the public support for genetic testing even when there are no effective therapeutic interventions. Drawing from research on popular images of genetics, I argue that cultural beliefs and expectations, widely conveyed through popular narratives, are encouraging the search for diagnostic information and enhancing the appeal of genetic explanations for a growing range of conditions.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1991

AIDS and the news media.

News reports on AIDS have appeared at a time of general public concern about health risks, and, like the coverage of risk, the reporting on AIDS has been controversial. Perceptions of this disease have been linked to economic and personal stakes, professional ideologies, administrative responsibilities, and moral beliefs. It is from this perspective that news coverage of AIDS must be understood. The norms and practices of journalism, the technical uncertainties of risk evaluation, and the pressures placed on the media by various interests have influenced the reporting on this disease. However, media reports also shape the social context of the epidemic, affecting public perceptions, personal behavior, and policy agendas.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗