News on ethics in medicine and biotechnology: June
2005
Concern over proposed prenatal screening changes
New recommendations for prenatal screening programmes to detect Down
syndrome could lead to some chromosome abnormalities being missed,
UK researchers say.
30 June 2005, BioNews (UK)
http://www.bionews.org.uk/new.lasso?storyid=2636
Also see:
Gene
tests 'could miss problems (30 June 2005, BBC News (UK))
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Safety of egg donation 'unclear'
More needs to be known about the long term health dangers of egg donation,
fertility experts have warned.
30 June 2005, Europa press release
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4634625.stm
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Slimmed down breast cancer gene patent upheld
The latest challenge to a patent held by US firm Myriad Genetics on
a test for hereditary breast cancer has failed. The European patent
Office (EPO) ruled on 29 June that European patent EP 785216, which
relates to the BRCA2 gene, is to be maintained in its amended form.
30 June 2005, BioNews (UK)
http://www.bionews.org.uk/new.lasso?storyid=2635
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Have we been oversold the stem cell dream?
Cell therapy has been touted as the future of medicine but, finds Roger
Highfield, doctors are uneasy about the media hype
29 June 2005, Telegraph (UK)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2005/06/29/ecfstem29.xml&sSheet=/connected/2005/06/29/ixconnrite.html
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Germany to fund research into the safety of green gene technology
The German government is to support research into the safety of genetically
modified (GM) plants with ten million euro over the next three years.
29 June 2005, Kompetenznetze.de (Germany)
http://www.kompetenznetze.de/navi/en/Innovationsfelder/agrar-und-ernaehrungswirtschaft,did=123094.html
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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MON 863 90 day rat study
Monsanto published on Friday the full MON 863 90 day rat study, prior
to its publication as a peer-reviewed paper in the journal "Food
and Chemical Toxicology".
28 June 2005, Checkbiotech.org
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=1&subtopic_id=2&doc_id=10647
Also see:
EU
backs national bans on Monsanto, Syngenta products (27 June 2005,
Checkbiotech.org)
GMOs:
Commission reaction on Council votes on safeguards and GM maize MON863
(24 June 2005, EUROPA Press release)
Monsanto
ordered to make secret study public (20 June 2005, Greenpeace
Europe)
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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IVF developments featured in Copenhagen conference
The annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction
and Embryology took place in Copenhagen this year, drawing thousands
of experts on fertility and embryology.
28 June 2005, BioEdge
http://www.australasianbioethics.org/Newsletters/165-2005-06-28.html#ivf
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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A better understanding of gene flow
Scientists will today explain to a meeting in London how their research
has greatly improved our understanding of the flow of genetic material
between organisms in the environment.
27 June 2005, Checkbiotech.org
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=1&subtopic_id=7&doc_id=10644
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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WHO says GM food may benefit health and environment
A report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), yesterday
(23 June), acknowledges the potential of genetically modified (GM)
food to enhance human health and development.
24 June 2005, SciDev.net
http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=2181&language=1
Also see:
Current
GM foods can bring benefits but safety assessments must continue
(23 June 2005, WHO Media Centre)
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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GM tobacco may help clean TNT, RDX traces
Latest research says genetically modified tobacco can help clean military
sites polluted with traces of harmful chemicals like RDX and TNT,
a task that otherwise costs hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
21 June 2005, Checkbiotech.org
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=1&subtopic_id=3&doc_id=10605
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Complexities of GM issue delay WTO decision
Stakeholders in the food chain, along with technocrats and politicians
in Brussels, must wait until October this year to get the final word
from the WTO on the GM complaint filed by the US, Canada and Argentina.
20 June 2005, Food Navigator Europe
http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=60763-complexities-of-gm
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Schroeder says stem cell laws should be eased
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has said that the country's laws
restricting research on human embryonic stem (ES) cells should be
loosened.
17 June 2005, BioNews (UK)
http://www.bionews.org.uk/new.lasso?storyid=2615
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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EU food agency says illegal GMO maize probably safe
A genetically modified (GMO) maize that is illegal in Europe but found
its way into EU countries probably does not pose a risk to either
animals or humans, Europe's food safety agency said on Monday.
14 June 2005, Checkbiotech.org
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=3&subtopic_id=14&doc_id=10548
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Collapse of Italian referendum example for Europe
The referendum on relaxing assisted reproduction laws in Italy was
invalidated on Monday, 13 June due to a very low turnout. Only 25.9%
of voters participated, a number far short of the quorum of more than
50% needed to change the law.
13 June 2005, GenEthique (France)
http://www.genethique.org/en/press/press/2005/june/13_17.htm#2
Also see:
Poor
turnout for Italy's fertility referendum (13 June 2005, BioNews)
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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RKI genehmigt zehntes Projekt für Forschung mit humanen embryonalen
Stammzellen
Am 10. Juni 2005 wurde durch das Robert Koch-Institut (RKI) die zehnte
Genehmigung zur Forschung an humanen embryonalen Stammzelllen erteilt.
10 June 2005, Bioethik-diskurs (Germany)
http://www.bioethik-diskurs.de/documents/archiv/News/News_2005/24_2KW2005RKIzehn.html/view
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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'Give communities right to ban GM crops'
A Europe-wide petition is calling for regions and local authorities
to have the legal right to ban the cultivation of GM crops in their
area.
9 June 2005, Checkbiotech.org
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=2&subtopic_id=9&doc_id=10522
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Sweden: assisted reproduction authorised for lesbians
On Friday, the Swedish parliament voted to allow lesbians to have artificial
insemination and IVF in order to have children. The new law will come
into effect as of 1 July 2005.
4 June 2005, Libération (quoted by Genethique.org)
http://www.genethique.org/en/frames/getpage.asp?page=press/press.htm
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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Reports differ on coexistence of GM crops
One yes and one no – two studies about the coexistence of conventional
and genetically modified plants. Is coexistence between traditional
agriculture and genetically modified crops possible?
2 June 2005, Checkbiotech.org
http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=1&subtopic_id=7&doc_id=1046
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK)
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