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The Council of Europe and the “right” to abortion
The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted, on the 16th of last April, with 102 votes against 69 and 14 abstentions, a resolution project called “access to safe and legal abortion”. This project is derived from an established report – from...
Laws of Bioethics: which revision for 2009?
The laws of bioethics voted in 1994 and revised in 2004 will be subject to new discussion in 2009. What are the current thoughts and the foreseeable evolutions? Framework law During the day of public hearings, organised the 29th November 2007 in the...
Dismissed request for euthanasia
Supported by the Association for the right to die with dignity (ADMD), Chantal Sébire, a 52-year-old patient with esthesioneuroblastoma (progressive and incurable tumour of sinus and nasal cavity) asked the justice, on 12th March, to be able "to benefit from a...
What is euthanasia?
Whereas the debate on the end of life is relaunched in France, Mgr Jacques Suaudeau, member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, granted Zenit a long interview about euthanasia. Definition of euthanasia Forged in the 18th century by Francis Bacon, the...
The Court of cassation reminds the status of lifeless children
With three judgments pronounced on 6th February 20081, the Court of Cassation has just reminded that drawing up a record of a lifeless child is not subordinated to the foetus weight nor to the pregnancy duration. The facts Three mothers having...
Congress on embryonic stem cells
From 31st January to 2nd February 2008, the first international congress about human embryonic stem cells took place at the Genopole of Evry. This congress was sponsored by the Genopole of Évry, the national institute for health and medical research (INSERM), the...
Psychic problems in the medically assisted procreations
A recent study by P. Revidi and B. Beauquier-Maccotta, child psychiatrists, one in the CECOS of Cochin, the other at Necker Hospital, took stock of the actual situation of the medically assisted procreation (MAP) and psychic problems it generates1. It proposes...
The medically assisted procreation raises new ethical questions
Evaluation of the Biomedicine Agency On 29th January 2008, the Biomedicine Agency drew up a balance sheet of the medically assisted procreation (MAP) in France. In 2005, 19,026 children were born with a MAP, which represents 1 child out of 40. 1,293 of them...
La mort apaisée – Chronique d’une infirmière en soins palliatifs – E. et M. Gagnet 1
Accompanying until the end How to accompany a close relative until the death when we and he first know, that he suffers an incurable disease? With sensitivity and delicacy, Elise Gagnet tells the story of several ends of life through her daily nursing...
Vincent Humbert’s death: to legitimate euthanasia?
On the occasion of the broadcasting of the telefilm, on 3rd December 2007 « Marie Humbert, l’amour d’une mère », the polemic renewed with the testimony of Hervé Messager, Vincent Humbert’s physiotherapist. The physiotherapist’s testimony Hervé...
Reprogramming adult stem cells
Reprogramming technique The "reprogramming" technique initially developed by Shinya Yamanaka, and then corroborated by Rudolf Jaenisch and James Thomson (see. Gènéthique No 96) is really interesting. Having said this, it deals with a research which does no...
Interrupted pregnancies: the taboo of psychological consequences
Two recent books deal with the taboo of interrupted pregnancies and the psychological consequences on woman and her circle. How old would he be today? 1 Doctor Stéphane Clerget, psychiatrist, has just written “Quel âge aurait-il aujourd’hui ? Le...