Irish hospital reviews its cancer test reports after error in case
A hospital in Ireland has been reviewing hundreds of test reports for the BRCA gene after a woman was incorrectly told she was not at heightened risk of cancer...
News
Birth of first genome-edited babies causes furore
The first births from genome-edited human embryos have been announced by a Chinese researcher amid widespread condemnation, and fears over safety...
Genetic 'reshuffling' by brain cells may link to Alzheimer's disease
For the first time, genetic 'reshuffling' has been shown to occur in cells in the human brain. This could shed light on the development of Alzheimer's disease and may even explain why current treatments for the disease have been so unsuccessful...
Experts caution on implications of 'lost embryos' lawsuit
Experts have strongly criticised a claim that embryos lost during a storage tank failure at a fertility clinic were 'people'...
Study shows genome editing is possible in the kidney
Scientists have successfully used genome editing in the kidneys of mice for the first time...
Multiple genes implicated in suicide by family genome study
Four gene variants have been found to be more common in suicide victims...
Reviews
Book Review: Good Quality - The Routinisation of Sperm Banking in China
'Good Quality' by Professor Ayo Wahlberg is a fascinating description of sperm donation in China, based on his fieldwork conducted between 2007-2014. Anyone familiar with donor programmes will recognise the challenges of sperm donor recruitment, retention
Comment
BioNews Christmas appeal
by Sarah Norcross
BioNews is published by the charity Progress Educational Trust (PET), and we are firmly committed to keeping BioNews FREE for everybody to read...
First genome-edited babies: a very different perception of ethics
by Professor Dusko Ilic
Back in 18th century, British physician Dr Edward Jenner tested his hypothesis that harmless cowpox can prevent deadly smallpox disease on a young boy in exchange for a few coins to his poor parents. In 2018, a Chinese researcher Dr He Jiankui tested geno
Why does Canada tax eggs and not sperm?
by Vanessa Gruben
In Canada, the purchase of human sperm and eggs is currently illegal under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act. Yet there are many commercial transactions involving sperm and eggs occurring across the border. Indeed, importers such as Can-Am Cryoservices