Issue 034 (16 November 1999)

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Winning the stem cell argument

15 November 1999 - by Juliet Tizzard

Since the US breakthrough in embryonic stem cell research last December, American politicians have been limbering themselves up for a fight over whether such research should receive federal funding. But, as we report in this week's BioNews, it might not be as much of a battle as had been previously...[Read More]

New guidelines on embryo transfer for US clinics

15 November 1999 - by BioNews

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) announced the release of new guidelines on the number of embryos to transfer in in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Because embryo quality and maternal age greatly affect pregnancy rates, it is recommended that different numbers of embryos be transferred to patients depending on...[Read More]

Republican backs stem cell research in US Senate

15 November 1999 - by BioNews

A senior Republican member of the US Senate spoke in support of allowing federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, increasing the chance that Congress will allow the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund such work. Strom Thurmond's (Republican, South Carolina) testimony was an indication that some US...[Read More]

17-year-old demands IVF

15 November 1999 - by BioNews

The mother of a 17-year-old girl demanded fertility treatment for her daughter on the National Health Service (NHS). The teenager, who has a steady boyfriend but is thought to still be living at home, was accompanied by her mother to the family doctor in Hartlepool, Teesside, who was asked...[Read More]

Drug treatment for teenage suffers of polycystic ovary syndrome

15 November 1999 - by BioNews

Researchers from University College Hospital and the Middlesex Hospital have successfully treated teenage girls suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome using a drug normally used in diabetes treatment. Affecting one in five women, the condition can lead to weight gain, irregular periods, facial hair and sometimes infertility. The disorder, caused by...[Read More]

Disappointment for ovarian tissue graft

15 November 1999 - by BioNews

The doctors involved in pioneering ovarian graft surgery, with the potential to treat sufferers of premature menopause and restore cancer victims' fertility, remained upbeat about the process despite reports that the initial operation has not been as successful as was hoped. The operation, carried out in February this year, involved...[Read More]