Going deep on life extension investments and human genetic engineering (Morning Read)

Bayers Marijn Dekkers (Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

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Endure if you must The Washington Posts takeout on tech gurus and venture capitalists with too much time on their hands trying to extend life (though most of the possible stuff they talk about are simply medical treatments not invented). Accompanying the story is a somewhat interesting game The Post created in which you drag stem cells into your brain and so on to extend your life.

I know its a week away but you should probably start watching the HIMSS 2015 hashtag now.

LIFE SCIENCE

A long but worthwhile read on a moratorium and proper path toward human genetic engineering.

In the long run, I believe the permissibility of using germline genomic modification to make babies will be, and should be, a political issue. Right now, I suspect I would opt for regulating it on a safety/benefit basis, allowing it only when the potential benefits outweighed the risks. But I might change my mind, either because of newly discovered facts or well-made arguments. Importantly, though I do not think that my view should govern. The people, through their governments, should govern.

Medtronic has invested $2 million in DreaMed Diabetes and will be using its artificial pancreas technology in is insulin pumps.

I hope you didnt miss The Wall Street Journals look at Bayer and its continued focus on its health and agriculture businesses. Bayer is dumping its $10 billion specialty plastics business.

Still, some analysts are skeptical that Bayers drug pipeline is strong enough to deliver many new products with selling power like the current wave. But Bayer expects at least three new drugs in midstage clinical testing, including two for chronic heart failure, to advance this year. Strong data is expected for those trials, said Ali Al-Bazergan, an analyst at Datamonitor Healthcare in London.

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Going deep on life extension investments and human genetic engineering (Morning Read)