Search
Organ transplants: “The silent revolution”
Arthur Caplan, Director of Medical Ethics at the Langon Medical Centerat New York University refers in Forbes to the current “silent revolution in organ transplantation”. He mentioned medical advances regarding new transplants which led to the birth of four...
A transgenic salmon authorised for consumption in the United States
On Thursday, the American Health Authorities authorised the consumption of a genetically modified salmon. The decision was taken by the Food and Drug Agency (FDA) despite criticism from consumer associations. The genetically modified salmon is a “new type of...
In California, a court decides on the fate of frozen embryos
On Wednesday, the Judge in the San Francisco Supreme Court passed judgement on the future of the frozen embryos of a divorced United States couple. The woman who “became sterile following cancer asked to use the frozen embryos she had produced with her ex-husband”....
Abortion: Swedish ministers against conscientious objection
In Sweden on 12 November 2015, the Jönköping court rejected the request submitted by a midwife requesting equal employment opportunities. In fact, she was refused several hospital posts because she is a conscientious objector, refusing to carry out abortions. ...
The Canadian Government rethinks the assisted suicide law
On 6 February 2015, the Canadian Supreme Court declared that “the refusal to offer medically assisted dying to a consenting person was unconstitutional”. It “suspended the invalidity of certain laws [Penal Code] banning assisted suicide and gave Ottawa one year to...
Genome sequencing in newborn infants, proceed or file?
For the first time, doctors at Boston Pediatric Hospital will sequence the genome of newborn infants in an attempt “to foresee the diseases that the child might develop in the future” and thus to “prevent” them. Currently, newborn babies are already...
Success of a total face transplant in New York
A team at the NYU Langone Medical Research Center in New York has performed a “total face transplant involving the scalp, ears and ear canals on a former voluntary fireman”, namely 41 year-old Patrick Hardison. This is “the most complete procedure to date” following a...
The United States Supreme Court will examine the question of abortion
The United States Supreme Court has announced that it will examine “the legality of restrictions imposed by certain American states regarding women’s rights to abortion”. It must deliberate on a law governing abortion which has already been partly adopted in Texas....
In Belgium, ultimately, Laura will not undergo euthanasia
Laura-Emily, the 24 year-old Belgian girl who should have undergone euthanasia on 24 September due to “uncontrollable, intolerable and therefore incurable mental suffering” has eventually decided to continue to live. This was revealed in “24 & ready to die”, an...
Ethical questions relating to genetic editing – the principle of “cut and paste” applied to DNA
Alexandra Henrion-Caude, geneticist and Inserm research director at Necker Hospital intends to analyse “genetic editing”and applications made possible with the CRISPR technique. This technique is “revolutionary” because it“can modify DNA simply with remarkable...
Astellas Pharma gets involved in the human embryo stem cell “market”
The American subsidiary, Ocata therapeutics, previously known as ACT (Advanced Cell Technology), which has come under scrutiny for its use of human embryo cells, has just been taken over by Japanese group, Astellas Pharma. “Despite being a small company,”...
The launch of a clinical trial on iPS (induced pluripotent stem cell) differentiation
A team of scientists at the CIRA (Centre for IPS cells Research and Application) at the University of Kyoto in Japan has announced that the launch of the clinical trial on potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease is being delayed on safety grounds (Cf. Gènéthique...