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MAP and surrogacy in Portugal: “a business exploiting human suffering”
Following the decision taken by the Portuguese Parliament to authorise surrogacy in an “altruistic” manner, an article in Figaro questions the “internationalisation of the baby business”. Can we agree to “the use of a woman’s body to produce a child without making the...
United States: South Carolina bans abortion after 19 weeks
On Tuesday, South Carolina adopted the draft bill banning abortion after the 19th week of pregnancy except in cases where the mother’s life is in jeopardy. The bill must now pass before Republican Governor, Nikki Haley, who already intimated in March that he...
“Designer babies” are now a reality
A few American and Cypriot clinics offer a special service, namely “gender selection”. These clinics “mostly treat women who have no fertility problems” and offer in-vitro fertilisation and pre-implantation diagnosis. Even if “the phenomenon is still marginal”,...
In Quebec, an investigation into the fate of children “born from unknown sperm”
In Quebec, 8,000 people under 40 years of age were born through sperm donation. On 18 May, the Quebec television channel, Canal Vie, broadcast a programme entitled “Nés de sperme inconnu” (Born from Unknown Sperm), which focuses on these children, who are now adults,...
The American Academy of Sciences is positive in relation to GMO crops
On Tuesday, the American Academy of Sciences published a study on GMO cultures and their risks to the environment and health. After analysing animal studies to assess the effects of chemical components contained in commercially available GMO foods, the Academy of...
Euthanasia: Three Belgian doctors accuse Canada of not complying with conscientious objection for healthcare practitioners
In one of the three videos produced for the Collectif Vulnerable – The Euthanasia Deception, three Belgian doctors opposed to euthanasia accuse Canada of failing to comply with conscientious objection for healthcare practitioners. They denounce the new...
The American Supreme Court makes no judgment on financing contraception
In June, the US Supreme Court must make a decision on the case put forward by the religious non-profit-making authorisations opposing the Government about the payment of contraception guaranteed under Obamacare (see The American Supreme Court is divided on the...
MAP, surrogacy: Portugal – no holds barred
Today, with a small majority, the Portuguese Parliament, which swung to the left in October, adopted a law authorising surrogacy “free of charge and in the following exceptional circumstances”, namely “in the absence of a uterus, in the case of a lesion or disease...
Human embryo research: fearing excessively strict legislation, ISSCR scientists unveil their recommendations
The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR)[1] has unveiled its recommendations in the light of current day issues, especially concerning the genetic handling of human embryos. The authors hope to “ease” ethical tension in this way and “avoid the need for...
Euthanasia in the Netherlands: death as therapy?
The NVK (Dutch Paediatric Association) published its position on euthanasia for children between 1 and 12 years of age. In the range of treatment available to young sick patients, the Association intends to include the possibility of euthanasia “regardless of age”,...
Euthanasia and organ donation in Canada: warning against spin-offs
Whilst the Federal draft bill on medically assisted dying will soon be adopted in Canada, the ethical issues remain. The Science and Technology Ethics Committee has focused on the question of organ donation in this context and yesterday published its recommendations...
70 years, “this is not the age to have a child”
According to yesterday’s announcement by an Indian clinic, doctors have spoken out against IVF treatment for a 70 year-old woman. Obstetrician, Sunil Jindal, raised in particular “the question of the future of a child born to elderly parents as well as the...