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While some people, although they are disappointed by the limits of embryonic stem cells, persist in asking for the legalisation of cloning, the research on adult stem cells still progresses.   Amniotic Liquid   Pr de Coppi and Atala (Institute for...

Nombre record d’IVG en 2004   Une récente étude de la DREES1 indique que le nombre d’avortements ne cesse d’augmenter en France, pour atteindre 210 664 en 2004 (dernière année recensée), soit une hausse régulière de 1,8% par an depuis 1995. La part des IVG...

The number of abortions is increasingly growing in France. What is thus the psychological impact of abortion for all the people involved in this practice?   Investigation in hospitals   During several months, Sabine Faivre conducted an investigation within...

An exceptional progress   Pr McGuckin’s and Dr Forraz’s team (University of Newcastle) achieved to create a model of tiny liver from stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood. Umbilical cord blood is taken after the delivery without danger neither for the mother...

2006 sees the 20th edition of the Téléthon. This year, for the first time, it will enjoy 30 hours of live television coverage. However, more and more people refuse to be involved in this vast operation that invites them to transgress fundamental rules of ethics....

Going out of the ethical dilemma   Whereas pressures in favour of research on human embryos intensify, an article by Gregory Benichou, professor and the Essec and titular of the bioethics and therapeutic innovation chair comes to clarify the debate1. He explains...

European Parliament members adopted on 15 June 2006 a 50 billion euro program for research (7e PCRD, 2007-2013). This Framework Program for Research and Development allocates 2 billion euros to biotechnologies and life science, which was subject to long debates to...

Vivisection of the embryo   The Biomedicine Agency announced on 20 June 2006 having delivered the first authorisations for research on embryo to six French teams working in public structures. Among the accepted teams, five come from INSERM and Pasteur Institute...

Every year, 12,000 in vitro fertilizations are performed in Belgium, between 2,500 and 3,000 children are born with these techniques and 3,700 out of 10,000 couples concerned, come from abroad. However, until now, reproductive medicine and human genetics were not...

Abortion in Switzerland   In 1982, abortion reimbursement was imposed to private health insurance companies on presentation of a double medical opinion. Since 1 October 2002, a mere signature of the mother allows abortion until the 12th week and further, a single...

The Committee on Legal Affairs of the European Parliament opposed any European funding for research on embryo by a decision adopted on 5 May 2006 with 16 votes (Poland, Germany, Austria…) against 6 and 3 abstentions1. Recalling that “Member States should not be forced...

Regenerative therapy using stem cells holds great hope for millions of patients with degenerative diseases or injuries. Repair of damaged organs or tissues using stem cells could address the needs of the patient. Beyond the emotion caused by the false hopes, it is...