UK doctors are expected to receive permission to help a couple avoid passing on a hereditary condition that causes very high blood cholesterol to their children, according to the Times. The newspaper reports that a team lead by Paul Serhal, of University College London, will be...
Two genetic variants that may triple a person's lifetime bowel cancer risk have been identified in a study published in the journal Nature Genetics last week. The researchers, based at Cancer Research UK's London Research Institute hope that the discoveries will one day lead to new tests...
Adult stem cells harvested from human patients with the muscle wasting disease Duchene Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) can be genetically corrected and used to improve muscle strength in mice with DMD, according to a study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell last week. The researchers, based at...
Last week South Korean scientists reported that they had successfully cloned cats whose genes had been altered so that they 'glow-in-the-dark' under UV light. It is hoped that the ability to alter genes in this way may help scientists discover how to make more complicated gene changes...
An amendment to the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill has been tabled in the House of Lords that will require birth certificates to indicate whether a child has been born from donor-conception. The proposal comes as parents to around 2,000 babies born using donated eggs, sperm...
Overweight women are significantly more likely to experience fertility problems, according to a study published in the journal Human Reproduction last week. Obesity is defined in adults as having a body mass index (BMI) above 30. The study found that for every BMI unit above 29, the...
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Donor conception: what to do about birth certificates?
by Professor Eric Blyth
One of the questions facing legislators considering changes to UK legislation regulating the provision of assisted conception procedures is the extent to which formal measures may increase the likelihood of donor-conceived people being informed about their origins. The background to these considerations includes the 2005 legislative change enabling a donor-conceived...