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Iraq, a “hot spot” for illegal organ trade in 2018
Mohammad, 20, sold his kidney to illegal traders. "I had lost all hope of finding a job and I wanted capital to start a business to help my family," said the man, who asked to be identified only by his first name. "I was promised $6,000 for my kidney, but I only...
Increasingly late abortions in the United Kingdom: trivialisation of abortion
Over the past five years, 15,000 British foetuses have been aborted at the end of pregnancy. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Affairs has just released statistics on late abortions in the United Kingdom. "Late" abortions are performed after the 20th...
Abortion advertising in Germany: draft bill to be examined to relax the ban
In Germany, the ban on advertising abortion is expected to be relaxed. Doctors and gynaecologists could be allowed to specify on their website that they perform abortions and provide a link to the family planning website. This information will no longer be seen as...
London twins, different fathers and unknown mother, conceived in Los Angeles and born to a Canadian surrogate mother…
A surrogacy story has hit the headlines in the past week because the technique used, banned in the United Kingdom, has led to the birth of twins with different biological fathers but the same biological mother. A British gay couple paid a Canadian surrogate...
“I was floating above my body” – Krystel Cahanin-Caillaud’s account after spending 5 weeks in a coma
"I was floating above my body". Interviewed on Europe 1, Krystel Cahanin-Caillaud told Christophe Hondelatte about her "near death" experience. In June 1992, the year of her graduation, she was in a car with friends when they hit an embankment. The accident was...
Euthanasia in Italy: draft bill debated in the Chamber of Deputies
A draft bill to fully legalise euthanasia in Italy was presented for debate today in the Chamber of Deputies. The bill, presented under popular initiative after 130,000 signatures were collected, is entitled "Refusal of health care and lawfulness of euthanasia"and...
Council of Europe and gamete donation: recommendations for lifting anonymity
The Council of Europe's Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development has adopted a draft recommendation calling for "the waiving of anonymity for all future human gamete donations". It will be debated by the Assembly at its next session in early...
Singapore: new medical data security breach
In Singapore, the confidential medical data of 14,200 patients were stolen and published online. This is the city's second major IT breach in a matter of months[1]. In its press release, the ministry explains that, "confidential information relating to 14,200...
After Washington, “March for Life” mobilizes tens of thousands of people in Paris
"To never lose sight of the inalienable values of human dignity and life" was the message behind the "March for Life" which united several thousand people in Paris on 20 January. It was attended by "50,000 people according to the organisers, and 7,400 according...
Selective abortions: shortfall of 80 million women in China and India
Although selective abortion is prohibited in China and India, in practice it is difficult to control and is frequently carried out. "If families can only have one child, they would prefer it to be a boy, who is more likely to work and financially support his...
“Genetically modified baby”: confirmation of a second pregnancy in China
On 21 January 2019, the Chinese authorities confirmed that, as announced by Chinese researcher He Jiankui, a second woman is pregnant with a "genetically modified baby". According to the results of the investigation conducted by the Guangdong Provincial...
Search for biological father – DNA test proves that the information is wrong
Ian Wood, an Australian from Melbourne, was contacted by a 34-year-old man claiming to be his biological son. First shock. Ian Wood did in fact donate sperm in 1984. According to information provided by VARTA, the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority,...