Issue 333 (07 November 2005)

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Telling donor conceived children about their origins

07 November 2005 - by Olivia Montuschi

At long last, the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has finally come off the fence about the need for parents of donor conceived children to tell them about their origins. Buried in its review of the Welfare of the Child the Authority has signalled a change to its...[Read More]

The HFEA's silence on the need for a father

07 November 2005 - by Dr Evan Harris

This week, BioNews reports that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has published its proposed new guidance to licensed clinics on how to interpret the 'welfare of the child' principle laid down in section 13(5) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The new guidance moves matters on...[Read More]

HFEA issues new 'welfare of child' guidelines

03 November 2005 - by BioNews

The UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has issued new guidance for IVF clinics on how to consider the welfare of children born following the use of assisted conception techniques. It states that before offering infertility treatment, doctors should take into account the risk of any serious medical, physical...[Read More]

No link between birth defects and fertility treatments

03 November 2005 - by BioNews

Babies conceived using fertility treatments, including IVF, are at no more risk of birth defects than naturally conceived infants, a large US study shows. Researchers at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut looked at data from over 36,000 pregnancies, around five per cent of which arose following fertility treatments. But their findings...[Read More]

Teenager tracks down sperm donor using internet

03 November 2005 - by BioNews

An American boy has found out the identity of his anonymous sperm donor using an online genealogy DNA testing firm, New Scientist magazine reports. His story means that donor anonymity can no longer be assured, according to an accompanying editorial. Following a change to the in April 2005, people conceived...[Read More]

Genetic discrimination investigated in Australia

04 November 2005 - by BioNews

Some Australian insurance companies are discriminating against people who have taken predictive genetic tests, according to the government-funded Genetic Discrimination Project. A survey carried out by the group identified 87 people who have suffered 'specific instances of negative treatment', according to New Scientist magazine. Team leader Kristine Barlow-Stewart reported the...[Read More]

Study finds little support for sex selection

07 November 2005 - by BioNews

A new UK study of peoples' attitudes towards social sex selection has found that 80 per cent believe that parents should not be allowed to choose their baby's sex, even for 'family balancing' reasons. The researchers, based at the Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences Unit at Newcastle University, questioned 48...[Read More]

US Court rules that embryos are not persons

07 November 2005 - by BioNews

The Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled that a couple cannot sue for 'wrongful death' over embryos lost or destroyed by a fertility clinic. William and Belinda Jeter sued the Mayo Clinic for wrongful death after it lost or destroyed the five 'pre-embryos' they had created in vitro and cryopreserved...[Read More]

Bill prohibiting all cloning vetoed in Wisconsin

07 November 2005 - by BioNews

Jim Doyle, the Governor of the US State of Wisconsin, has vetoed legislation (bill 499) passed in the state that would have meant that all forms of human cloning were prohibited. He says that he used his right of veto because the law would mean that some of the 'most...[Read More]