Search
Birth following “three-parent IVF”: reactions
The birth of the first "three-parent baby" disclosed last week, no doubt pre-empting the next scientific publication, is under discussion (see Birth of the first "three-parent baby": a dangerous and irresponsible precedent ). Although some doctors enthuse over the...
A study highlights a link between contraception and depression
"Women taking the pill are at greater risk of depression", according to a Danish study published in the JAMA Psychiatry. Charlotte WesselSkovlund from the University of Copenhagen and her team have analysed the data of a million women between 15 and 34 years of...
The WHO calls for respect for the elderly
The WHO denounced the "consequences of ‘racism against the elderly’", on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October. According to the WHO, out of more than 83,000 people across 57 countries, 60% estimate that elderly people are not respected....
Netherlands: to impose contraception on “incompetent” parents?
Rotterdam Municipal Council has submitted a draft bill aimed at making contraception mandatory "for mothers deemed to be incompetent". The reasoning behind the bill is as follows: "To grow up in a safe and healthy environment is more of a basic right than the right to...
Quebec focuses on the parentage of children born through surrogacy
In Quebec, two judgements made a few days apart this summer are pressing the Government to adopt a "clear" stance on surrogacy. The Quebec Civil Code stipulates that, "Any agreement via which a woman undertakes to bear a child for another person is null and void", but...
The quest for immortality curtailed by an American study
"Our results suggest that human life could have a natural time limit" according to American scientists in a study published by Nature. They studied the "super-centenarians" in four countries (France, Japan, United Kingdom, United States), and the maximum age reached...
Antonio Guterres, next UN Secretary General: his commitments
Portuguese-born Antonio Guterres is to replace Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary General, for a five-year term of office. His appointment was validated by the United Nations Security Council following an informal vote on 5 October. The applicant must also receive the...
The Polish Parliament rejects restrictions on abortion
In Poland, the draft citizen's bill banning recourse to abortion except when the mother's life is in danger, was rejected on Wednesday by the Commission for Justice and Human Rights, and again during Thursday's session by 352 votes to 58 (18 abstentions). ...
Uterus transplant in the United States: three failures
In Texas, four women underwent a uterus transplant last month within the scope of a clinical trial launched in January 2016. However, in three cases, the uterus had to be removed because of poor blood circulation. In a press release, the hospital indicated that the...
MAP (medically assisted procreation) bypasses infertility but does not treat it
Boys conceived by intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) would inherit the fertility problems of their fathers. This is the conclusion reached in a study conducted by Belgian scientists and published in the Human Reproduction journal. In the case of male...
Switching off a patient’s pacemaker – does this equate to euthanasia?
A "complex ethical and legal dilemma"has arisen - the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. Is it right to deactivate a pacemaker at the wearer's request? The question has been raised in connection with Nina Adamowicz, who had heart disease and underwent her first...
Naissance du premier “bébé à trois parents” : un précédent dangereux et irresponsable
Le New Scientist a révélé hier la naissance du « premier enfant avec trois parents », une information confirmée par l’American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). L’enfant, Abrahim Hassan, est né le 6 avril au Mexique : « L’équipe...