The UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) announced last week that it would, in principle, allow the use of HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) typing, more commonly known as 'tissue typing', in conjunction with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for serious disease. The HFEA will consider each application to use the...
Scientists in the US and Canada have discovered a particular type of bone marrow stem cell that does not cause rejection when transplanted. The scientists have found that, unlike most stem cells transplanted from one person to another, these cells, taken from the bone marrow of adults, do not trigger...
A new study has raised concerns about intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Presented at a symposium at the Monash Institute of Reproduction in Melbourne, Australia, the research links the use of the fertility technique by men who have genetic defects (which may have caused them to be infertile) and rare problems...
A new gene therapy technique has been used to cure sickle cell anaemia in mice. Details of the study, undertaken by scientists from Harvard Medical School, US, are published in last week's issue of Science. The scientists removed the bone marrow from mice with the sickle cell condition and transplanted...
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Is a tissue-matched child a commodity?
by Juliet Tizzard
This week's BioNews reports on the HFEA's announcement that it will in principle permit preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and tissue typing in IVF units in the United Kingdom. But whilst families keenly awaiting this opportunity were delighted, not everyone was happy to hear the news. There was, of course, the...