Last year, biotech startup Minicell began recruiting participants for gene therapy clinical trials. But many details make it unusual. For one, it mandates the purchase of NFTs to participate in guinea pigs, before being paid in cryptocurrency. Another takes place in Prospera, Honduras, which is basically an experimental crypto city.
It’s against this unusual background that Minickl is trying to lead the biohacking charge to the mainstream—studying gene therapies that target common conditions like muscle pain, HIV, low testosterone, and obesity.
But medical ethicists are less enthusiastic — and are concerned about how the tests will move forward and what they could mean for the growing and, at times, medical tourism industry. Read the full story.
–Laurie Clark
The Supreme Court can regulate how you live online.
Recommendation algorithms categorize much of what we see online and determine how the posts, news stories, and accounts you follow are prioritized across digital platforms. Now they’re at the center of a groundbreaking legal case that ultimately has the power to completely change how we live online.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments next week. Gonzalez v. googleYouTube’s recommendations address allegations that Google violated anti-terrorism laws by promoting ISIS content. This is the first time the court has examined Section 230 and the damage could not be greater. Read the full story.
