Redefining remembrance: Posthumous sperm retrieval in Israel after 7 October
The latest war in Israel has seen debate sparked over whose desires and interests take precedent when determining whether to proceed with posthumous sperm retrieval…
Professor Vardit Ravitsky
President and CEO, The Hastings Center
Vardit Ravitsky is president and CEO of the Hastings Center, an independent, nonpartisan bioethics research institute that is among the most prestigious bioethics and health policy institutes in the world. She is a full professor at the Bioethics Program, School of Public Health, University of Montreal and senior lecturer on Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She is immediate past-president and currently VP of the International Association of Bioethics.
BioNews Articles by Professor Vardit Ravitsky
Bioethical perspectives on the Israeli Assuta case of embryo mix-up
Professor Vardit Ravitsky explores the bioethical implications of a recent embryo mix-up case in Israel...
A 'serious' threshold for genomic technologies – context counts!
The determination of how 'serious' a condition is has direct and important implications for policy and clinical translation of existing and emerging genomic technologies...
The emergence and global spread of non-invasive prenatal testing
Non-invasive prenatal testing, a prenatal screening test analysing fetal DNA in a blood sample from the pregnant person, has become available in more than 60 countries since its introduction ten years ago...
The conceptual foundation of the right to know one's genetic origins
In his commentary, Professor Guido Pennings argues there is no empirical evidence to support the assumption that it is in the best interests of children to know that they are donor conceived. We would like to add another layer to the critique, by focusing
Event Review: Gene editing — exploring the Canadian context
Gene editing, in particular CRISPR/Cas9 technology, is sweeping the scientific world and has been receiving ample attention from policymakers worldwide. Policy statements and academic papers regarding responsible ways of moving forward with gene editing have already been published...
Non-invasive prenatal testing in the non-Western context
Since its introduction in 2011, the availability of non-invasive prenatal testing has been expanding globally and rapidly. The clinical introduction of NIPT has clear benefits for pregnant women, such as reducing the need for invasive testing. But, depending on local circumstances, it also raises varying challenges and opportunities...
Baby steps forward, baby steps back: towards a more liberal Swiss regulation of reproduction
Switzerland upholds stricter legislation on assisted reproduction and prenatal genetic testing than most European countries. However, recent regulatory changes demonstrate a possible shift towards a more liberal approach....
Event Review: The Ethics of Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy
Ethical dimensions of the emerging technology of mitochondrial replacement were the focus of a symposium that took place on 25 June at the 12th World Congress of Bioethics in Mexico City....
New frontiers in posthumous reproduction
The permissive approach of the Israeli courts to allow posthumous conception is ethically justified and even commendable. By choosing 'a sperm with a past', a woman guarantees her prospective child a known genetic origin, as well as an opportunity to benefit from the love and the support of grandparents and an extended family...