Vatican: No 'right to a child'
The Vatican has published a document arguing surrogacy infringes on the right of a child to be created with dignity, and this takes precedence over an individual's desire for a family...
News
Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
Mouse embryo develops extra limbs instead of genitals
Inactivating a gene that codes for a protein involved in early mouse development results in the formation of two extra hindlimbs in the place of external genitalia...
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
Breast cell map reveals unique changes in BRCA risk variant carriers
The world's largest catalogue of human breast cells has revealed early cell changes in carriers of BRCA gene mutations, offering a potential target for breast cancer prevention...
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
Blood test speeds up precision medicine for NHS lung cancer patients
A simple blood DNA test could help doctors identify the best treatment options faster in patients with lung cancer...
FDA considers dropping ban on gay and bisexual sperm donors
The US Food and Drug Administration is reportedly relaxing their restrictions on gay and bisexual men from anonymously donating sperm...
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
FDA urged to withdraw approval of opioid addiction genetic test
Public health doctors, geneticists and addiction specialists have signed a letter urging the US Food and Drug Administration to withdraw its approval of a test for genetic susceptibility to opioid use disorder...
Image by Matthew Daniels via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts human cells, showing the stages of cell division.
Cholesterol-lowering gene therapy trial cancelled on safety grounds
A clinical trial for a CRISPR-based therapy for high-cholesterol has been suspended after a participant developed unforeseen side effects...
Reviews
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
Podcast Review: The G Word – Can artificial intelligence accelerate the impact of genomics?
The scope for artificial intelligance to improve our understanding of, and application of, genomics is discussed in this latest G Word Podcast, from Genomics England...
Comment
Screening donors: New challenges in the UK fertility landscape
by Professor Cathy Herbrand and 2 others
Screening gamete donors could reduce transmission of recessive genetic conditions, but also gives rise to new and ethically sensitive questions for recipients, clinicians and donors...
IVF and the Alabama Supreme Court decision to protect embryos
by Dr Calum MacKellar
Should jurisdictions strive to find a way to protect IVF, while acknowledging the moral status of the embryo?..