Analysis of fertility treatment services in Europe carried out by Dr Francoise Shenfield of University College Hospital and Medical School in London shows that British patients get the worst deal in Europe. The survey of five European countries showed that those on the National Health Service wait longer for treatment...
It was against the background of increasing excitement about the therapeutic potential of stem-cell and cloning technologies that the UK Government's Human Genetics Advisory Commission and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority issued a joint report last December. They strongly recommended that the Government give the go-ahead for research using...
Ben Elton, author of five bestselling novels, and his musician wife will become parents in October of twins conceived by in vitro fertilisation. This is the same month that Elton's new book, Inconceivable, will be published by Bantham Press. In a classic case of life mirroring art - and vice versa...
It's only a matter of time before the first human is cloned. Or so we are told. This week's news that two teams in America are competing to produce the first cloned embryo for the development of new therapies, brought with it the familiar cries that cloned babies are just...
This week's BioNews includes news that Italy is considering legislation to govern the practice of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Given that IVF is now nearing its 21st birthday, Italy's legislative moves may seem somewhat belated. IVF services have been available in Italy for some years and Italian scientists have...
Italy could soon have legislation to govern the until-now unregulated practice of assisted reproduction. A bill was passed on 26 May by the parliament's lower house. If the bill becomes law, access to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) would only be available to heterosexual couples - regardless of marital status - with proven...
Last week, Britain's most famous surrogate mother gave up her involvement in surrogacy arrangements. Kim Cotton, who shot to fame in 1985 for being the first British woman to publicly act as a surrogate mother for money, has given up the fight to make surrogacy an acceptable practice by resigning...
A dietary supplement called proXeed is being marketed by a US company as a non-prescription fertility aid that can help improve sperm quality. With up to 40 per cent of conception problems believed to be related to poor sperm quality, Sigma-Tau Consumer Products hopes to target their citrus flavoured drink...
This week's BioNews includes a story from the United States that the National Bioethics Advisory Commission is about to publish recommendations that federal funds be made available for some human embryo research. A congressional ban, in place since 1994, has meant that no federal money can be used to fund...
Recommendations for changes to the Human Reproductive Technology Act have been made by a Western Australian Parliamentary Select Committee. In a report published 14 May, the committee advised that surrogacy should only be permitted where the commissioning couple's genetic material is used, or where the embryos are created from donated...
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