The Government-backed Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Deceased Fathers) Bill was talked out of time by a Tory MP on Friday. In doing so, Desmond Swayne wrecked the legislation that Diane Blood has been fighting for since the birth of her son Liam. As the law stands, Mrs Blood, or anyone...
Scientists have discovered a gene which may explain why some women are infertile. Statistics show that although 90 per cent of couples who undergo IVF treatment produce embryos, only 20 per cent of those successfully implant in the womb. The discovery may eventually improve success rates in fertility treatments. The...
A 46-year old woman failed to win the right to have five embryos implanted into her womb during IVF treatment. The woman, who has had eight unsuccessful IVF attempts wants to have more embryos implanted in her next attempt to increase the likelihood of getting pregnant. She and her...
Scientists say that they have found a gene that makes some people have a 'sweet tooth'. In two separate studies, scientists at Harvard Medical School and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York have discovered a gene in mice which they believe is responsible for tasting sweetness. They...
The first bill to ban human reproductive cloning has been introduced to both houses of the United States Congress. The Human Cloning Prohibition Act 2001, if approved, would make it a federal crime to clone a human or to import a human clone from anywhere outside the US. Anyone who...
Gene therapy has enabled dogs born blind because of an inherited disorder to have some of their sight restored. This is the first time that gene therapy of this type has proved to be successful in a large animal. The achievement might mean that the technique could be adapted to...
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Does legal fatherhood matter?
by Juliet Tizzard
Last week, a British MP, Desmond Swayne, intervened to stop a bill going through parliament that would allow posthumous fathers to be legal fathers. The Deceased fathers bill, designed to amend the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Act, applies to men who have given consent for their partner to use...