by Collectif | 9 Oct, 2017 | Bioethics press synthesis | Organ donation
The Belgian Advisory Committee on Bioethics has just addressed the ethics of a new way of searching for kidneys or a liver with a view to transplantation. To date, patients waiting for a transplant can either ask a living relative to donate an organ or else...
by Collectif | 9 Oct, 2017 | Bioethics press synthesis | Genome
As part of a French-American joint venture, the first gene therapy clinical trial for the treatment of myotubular myopathy [1] was launched on 21 September in the United States. A patient presenting this condition was enrolled in the study followed by eleven...
by Collectif | 9 Oct, 2017 | Bioethics press synthesis | End of life
On 19 September 2017, the ACP [1] clearly reiterated “its opposition to any participation in assisted suicide by doctors”. The association believes “that assisted suicide harms the trusting relationship between doctors and their...
by Collectif | 9 Oct, 2017 | Bioethics press synthesis | Conscientious objection
The National Council of the Belgian Medical Association issued a statement on 6 May 2017 challenging the law on conscientious objection. It is devising an ethical obligation on the part of doctors to inform patients and to “direct them to a medical establishment...
by Collectif | 9 Oct, 2017 | Bioethics press synthesis | Abortion - Medical termination of Pregnancy(MTP)
A press release was issued by One of Us[1] in response to the “so-called feminist movement ‘Abortion: women decide!’ on the right to abortion”, confirming that “equality for all human beings calls for protection right from conception”, for the...
by Collectif | 9 Oct, 2017 | Bioethics press synthesis | Embryo research and alternatives
In China, a team of scientists carried out “chemical surgery” on human embryos to “correct an error” in their genetic code. They used “basic editing” for this, i.e. the corrected DNA[1]. The human embryos used were carrying...