New PGD technology guidelines published for the genetic testing of IVF embryos

The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has published an updated set of best practice guidelines for fertility clinics on the use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) techniques...[Read More]

Correction: Sperm screening needs to be overhauled

In BioNews 535, we published a commentary by Wendy Kramer in which she stated that 'using a donor with reciprocal translocations is potentially even more likely to produce sick children than donors with autosomal dominant disorders. The chances for a chromosomally abnormal child are thirty out of thirty-two (Scriven, 1998)'. However, this interpretation is incorrect and potentially misleading, the author of the paper has since informed us....[Read More]

Another gene clue to mental illness

Scottish researchers have identified another gene involved in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (manic depression), a discovery that could lead to new drug treatments for the conditions. The team, based at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, has shown that an altered version of a gene called PDE4B is linked to...[Read More]

Licensing PGD: a step in the right direction

The lengthy process of applying for a licence to carry out preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in the UK is set to get slightly easier - at least for some diseases. PGD was first used in 1989, to select a female embryo that would be free from the severe inherited, sex-linked disorder...[Read More]