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An increase in transplants in Ontario, Canada, using non-heart-beating donations
In Ontario (Canada), a recent study published in the CMAJ[1] showed that the new policy to harvest organs from non-heart-beating donors has contributed to the 57% increase in organ donation since 2006. Previously, organs were harvested following brain death...
Head transplant: questions but no answers
Repeated comments from neurosurgeon, Sergio Canavero, about head transplants are raising a certain number of questions and creating a "legal headache". This "mad project", which first came to light in 2013, will probably be carried out in China with a...
An Englishman wakes from a coma just before the life support machines are switched off
Martin Jervis, a 61 year-old British man, sustained a stroke that required extensive surgery. Doctors believed that he had "little chance of recovery" and his family, in agreement with the medical team, refused any attempt to prolong his life by medical means. They...
Patient in a vegetative state for 15 years regains minimal level of consciousness
A 35 year-old man who has been “awake but unresponsive" [1] for 15 years, has showed signs of regaining consciousness following electrical vagus nerve stimulation. An article on this case was published in the "Current Biology" journal. It was written by 11 scientists...
Elective abortion: medical risks incurred by women
During the European seminar held in Brussels at the COMECE[1] last 22nd June on “Preventing abortion in Europe”, Cherline Louissaint, lawyer, backed by a number of studies on the subject, went over the medical risks incurred by women who abort. Abortion does not come...
An increasing number of patients with psychiatric disorders or dementia undergo euthanasia in Belgium
A study published in the BMC Psychiatric describes regular developments in euthanasia, between 2002 and 2013, for individuals with a psychiatric disorder or suffering from dementia. The EBI[1] comments as follows. Between 2002 and 2013, "patients with...
A decision taken by the Family Court of Australia does not recognise children born through surrogacy
Three investigating judges presiding over the Family Court of Australia and a plenary session have held that: Mr. and Mrs. Bernieres whose child was born abroad through surrogacy using Mr. Bernieres' sperm and a donor egg, will not be recognised as the child's legal...
Surrogacy: A new controversial Men Having Babies Exhibition
For the second time, the American association, Men Having Babies, is organising a European conference in Brussels on 24 and 25 September 2017 in order to "bring male homosexual couples into contact with American service providers" (see Brussels: funding for surrogate...
France: “Magnetised” human embryo stem cells
Scientists at the CNRS and Inserm[1] have carried out experiments aimed at aggregating human embryo stem cells without external support, "solely by using magnets". The aim is to assist regenerative medicine by creating thick or large areas of tissue, formed from...
IVF: embryos soon to be selected by artificial intelligence
The Australian start-up, Life Whisperer, has devised a method for selecting human embryos prior to implantation, based on deep learning and artificial intelligence. Their aim is to propose a cloud application to fertility clinics to sort IVF embryos before...
Murine eggs obtained from stem cells
Japanese scientists led by Professor Michinori Saito have succeeded in producing murine eggs from murine embryo stem cells using culture medium containing vitamin A and proteins. Their aim is to achieve the same result in humans. Their study, which was published on...
United Kingdom: genetically modified human embryos
A British team has modified the genome of 58 human embryos [1] using CRISPR-Cas9[2]. They said that they carried out their experiments to "study early human development" (see British scientists authorised to genetically handle human embryos). They specifically removed...