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Do genetic tests reduce risk-related behaviour?
A team of scientists at Cambridge University has updated studies published by Cochrane in 2010 focusing on the interest of genetic tests in reducing risk-related behaviour. Over the last few years, genetic tests available over-the-counter in some countries...
Chile authorises abortion on three grounds: risk to the mother, rape and foetal deformity
In Chile, the draft law authorising “therapeutic” abortion, approved by Congress on 4 August 2015, was voted on by the Chamber of Deputies on Thursday. It decriminalises abortion in the event of rape, foetal deformity and in cases where the mother’s health is at risk....
Canada: Third authorisation for medically assisted dying
The Superior Court of Ontario authorised medically assisted dying for a man in his eighties. The man, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, was said to be suffering “from intolerable pain and distress which could not be eradicated”, and wanted to die this...
Help mental patients rather than kill them – a plea from a Canadian senator
Saskatchewan Senator (Canada), Denise Batters, has held a forum in which she denounced the recent mixed report by the Parliamentary Commission on medically assisted dying and claims that the mentally ill should be helped rather than killed. Her husband, MP Dave...
Scientists show an interest in parthenotes
A team of scientists led by Dieter Egli from the University of Columbia Medical Centre (New York) and Nissim Benvenisty from Jerusalem University, has focused on the development of human parthenogenetic cells. According to their study, published in the Nature...
Zika and microcephaly: first evaluation of a statistical risk
Yesterday the Pasteur Institute published an initial study focusing on the risk to pregnant women infected with the Zika virus of giving birth to a child with microcephaly. This risk is believed to be of the order of 1%, “i.e. 50 times greater than normal”. The risk...
The Council of Europe rejects the report on “ethical” surrogacy
The controversial draft report on “human rights and ethical questions relating to surrogacy” discussed yesterday behind closed doors by the Assembly of the Council of Europe Commission for Social Affairs and Health, was finally rejected by 16 votes to 15. This Council...
In India, fertile couples “who are too busy” request MAP
In India, increasing numbers of doctors are receiving requests for MAP (medically assisted procreation) from fertile couples. The man and woman are fertile but they “do not have enough time for natural conception”. This can arise through incompatible...
Artificial intelligence: machine beats man at the go game
Lee Seldol, the go world champion, finally admitted defeat today opposite Alphago, the program developed by Google Deep Mind, following an extremely tight battle. “Far more effective” than Lee Seldol initially thought, artificial intelligence “played the part...
Genetically modified mosquitoes to stem the spread of the Zika virus
Last Friday, the FDA[1] initially authorised “experiments on mosquitoes genetically modified in Florida” in an attempt to limit the spread of the Zika virus. The Health Authorities “are joining forces to protect pregnant women in particular against infection by the...
Launch of the “One of Us” Federation in Paris
On Saturday, almost 1,200 people came together in Paris for the first European “One of Us” forum, “a European pro-life meeting organised by the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation”. This “unprecedented” forum marked the “official launch of the first public demonstration of the...
Pregnant women ready to participate in a gene therapy clinical trial
In the United Kingdom, scientists are preparing a European trial on maternal gene therapy called EVERREST, to treat early onset foetal growth restriction. They have announced that they have found pregnant women who do not see any ethical barriers to this type of study...