The Social Democrats (SPD) in the German parliament have decided to oppose an all-parliamentary commission of inquiry on human rights and bioethics. They argue that such a lengthy debate on already agreed first principles could delay the introduction of legislation for specific biomedical issues. This position is supported by the...
A Canadian team has achieved high maturation and pregnancy rates by using eggs matured in vitro with a group of 40 women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The group, from McGill University and the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, reported that from 45 cycles of the new procedure, 15 clinical...
The BBC will attempt to answer the age-old question of the nature-nurture relationship in an ambitious new television series, Child of Our Time. The multimillion pound project will follow 20 babies from conception to birth in January, and through the first 20 years of their lives. Presented by the UK's...
Figures published last week show that there has been a 40 per cent increase in the use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) over just one year. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's (HFEA) annual report reveals that 9,295 ICSI cycles were carried out in 1997-98 compared to 6,652 in...
A British biotechnology company is hoping to begin xenotransplantation trials within a year. Cambridge-based Imutran is holding talks with transplant clinics including one at Harefield hospital. Harefield has cut its transplant programme for hearts and lungs from a peak of 202 operations in 1989 to about 130 last year. The...
UK's Wellcome Trust has increased spending on research grants by 70 per cent this year. This brings the total spending to more than £400m compared to £235m last year. Genetics and neuroscience benefited most from this increase with the £17.2m spent in 1998 growing to £45m this year. The Trust...
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Pessimism in assisted reproduction
by Juliet Tizzard
Each year, when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) publishes its annual report, a worrying aspect of assisted reproduction is raised in the media. Last year it was the high proportion of multiple pregnancies resulting from IVF treatment. This year, it is the association between the male infertility treatment...