The Top Medical Stories Of The Year For 2017
From advances in genetic research that could have been lifted from a Michael Crichton novel to hard-nosed health policies and investigations of industries that have a knack for making people very ill, this year delivered some of the most compelling, complicated and controversial news in health and medicine. Here are a few of the stories that dominated the headlines in 2017.
Designer Babies and CRISPR Bacon
Some of the freakiest genetic research published this year proved that biology need not be destiny. In August, a team of Oregon-based scientists used a gene-editing technology—CRISPR-Cas9—to alter the genetic makeup of human embryos and eliminate a rare heart disease from their genetic blueprint. The landmark study triggered a public conversation on the bioethical implications of germ-line editing, as well as the lack of guidelines or regulations
