Issue 705 (20 May 2013)

Welcome to BioNews by email, the free weekly news digest of the top stories in assisted conception, genetics, embryo/stem cell research and related areas, published by the Progress Educational Trust. Sent to registered subscribers each week, BioNews by email is aimed at informing debate in these areas by providing balanced and timely summaries of the week's news and developments alongside comment, reviews and recommendations of selected topical conferences, events and more. It also contains job advertisements from the relevant sectors.

Visit the BioNews website at www.bionews.org.uk where you can subscribe for free to receive BioNews by email in one of three formats, plus view more news, comment, reviews and job advertisements and search the full archive.

Your thoughts about donor conception, conditionality and adoption

20 May 2013 - by Sandy Starr

Should gamete donors be allowed to place conditions on who receives their donation? And should those considering having children via donor conception be encouraged to adopt instead?... [Read More]

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis and the welfare of the healthy selected child

20 May 2013 - by Dr Mair Crouch

Preimplanatation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a technique that allows couples from families with history of certain inheritable diseases to try and reduce their risk of having a child affected by the condition.... [Read More]

Response to Ben Saer

20 May 2013 - by Olivia Montuschi

In addressing egg-donation dad-to-be Ben Saer's points in his BioNews article, it is hard to know where to start. Good parenting is of course supportive and protective, but it does not resolve the desire of some people to know more about who helped create them... [Read More]

Human embryonic stem cells created via cloning

20 May 2013 - by Dr Rosie Morley

Embryonic stem cells have been created from human skin cells for the first time by US scientists using a cloning technique... [Read More]

Turkish womb transplant patient miscarries

20 May 2013 - by Anna Cauldwell

Doctors have terminated the pregnancy of 22-year-old Derya Sert, the first woman to receive a womb transplant from a deceased donor.... [Read More]

Scotland: 'Fairer and faster' IVF access limited to non-obese, non-smoking, teetotalers

20 May 2013 - by Ruth Retassie

The Scottish government has approved criteria which include new restrictions on access to state-funded IVF but which also aim to end the 'postcode lottery' faced by many couples with fertility problems... [Read More]

Lung cancer gene test approved as 'companion diagnostic'

20 May 2013 - by James Heather

The US medicines regulator, the Food and Drug Administration, has approved a genetic test to help doctors select suitable lung cancer patients to be treated with the drug erlotinib... [Read More]

Body clock genes linked to depression

20 May 2013 - by Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi

Genes believed to regulate sleep rhythm are expressed abnormally in people with major depressive disorders, scientists say... [Read More]

Time-lapse embryo imaging boosts IVF success, clinic claims

20 May 2013 - by Emma Stoye

A new technique for monitoring embryo health could increase the chance of IVF couples having a healthy baby, according to researchers at a private fertility clinic... [Read More]

Event review: ESRC Genomics Network Conference 2013

20 May 2013 - by Chris Berry

Earlier this month, over 180 delegates and speakers gathered in London for the final annual conference of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Genomics Network (EGN). After a decade of support from the ESRC, the EGN will officially draw to a close at the end of May... [Read More]

Radio review: Kate Silverton explores how IVF became big business

20 May 2013 - by Jenny Dunlop

Kate Silverton is well known for reading the news on BBC, so I was interested to listen to her short report on how IVF has become such a big business... [Read More]