Issue 402 (11 April 2007)

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.

Embryos, hybrid embryos and UK law

10 April 2007 - by John Gillott

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's report, 'Government Proposals for the Regulation of Hybrid and Chimera Embryos', is its response to two related events: firstly the UK Government's intention to outlaw the creation of such entities, announced in December 2006 in its White Paper (1), and secondly the...[Read More]

Parliamentary committee backs 'hybrid embryos'

10 April 2007 - by Antony Blackburn-Starza

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has challenged the UK Government's decision to propose a ban on the creation of hybrid or chimera embryos, calling such a move 'unnecessary'. In the report, the MPs said: 'We find that the creation of human-animal chimera or hybrid...[Read More]

Single embryo transfer recommended to cut IVF multiple births

10 April 2007 - by Katy Sinclair

The UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has launched a consultation to find the best way to reduce problems experienced by IVF children arising from multiple births. According to the HFEA, as IVF has become more successful, the number of multiple births has increased. Currently around...[Read More]

Successful womb transplants in sheep lead to pregnancy

10 April 2007 - by Heidi Nicholl

A Swedish team has successfully carried out womb transplants in sheep, leading to pregnancy. So far the researchers have worked on perfecting the technique of reconnecting the blood vessels and have removed and replaced the uterus in individual animals - known as autologous transplantation. The team removed and...[Read More]

Genetic clues to prostate cancer

10 April 2007 - by Stuart Scott

Three teams of scientists have uncovered a number of genetic variants, which can powerfully predict a carrier's risk of developing prostate cancer. One team based jointly at the University Of California and Harvard Medical School, one from the US National Institutes of Health and an Icelandic company...[Read More]

UK woman loses final embryo appeal

10 April 2007 - by Dr Jess Buxton

The UK woman fighting to use stored frozen embryos against the wishes of her former partner has lost her final appeal. Natallie Evans underwent IVF with Howard Johnston in 2001, before Ms Evans had treatment for ovarian cancer that left her infertile. Mr Johnston later withdrew...[Read More]

Ban on fertility treatment for obese women proposed

10 April 2007 - by Zulehkha Waheed

Obese women should have fertility treatment withheld, according to a report from a leading group of Scottish doctors. Their recommendation is an attempt to reduce growing costs within the National Health Service (NHS), where resources are already over-stretched. According to the Scottish Committee of the Royal College...[Read More]

US stem cell patents denied validity

11 April 2007 - by MacKenna Roberts

The US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has issued a preliminary decision rejecting the validity of three existing embryonic stem cell (ESC) patents held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) at the University of Wisconsin Madison (UW-Madison), where James Thomson led a research team to discover...[Read More]