News on ethics in medicine and biotechnology: August 2003Boy had 'wrong dad' after IVF mix-upA British teenager has discovered he had the "wrong" father after a mix-up at the IVF clinic where his mother was treated. 21 August 2003, BBC Online (UK) (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) US Fires First Shot At EU Biotech Policy WTO MoveThe US, Canada and Argentina yesterday demanded a World Trade Organisation panel to rule on their challenge to the European Union's restrictions on imports of genetically modified crops, sparking a fierce reaction from Brussels. 20 August 2003, AgBios News (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Bias Seen in Drug Trials Paid by For-Profit GroupsResults of drug trials are known to be more positive when for-profit organizations pay for the studies. Now, new research shows the positive results do not reflect the actual data, which suggests that interpretation of the results may be biased. 20 August 2003, Reuters
(Submitted by SIBLE, UK) France moves to block animal testing banFrance has started legal action to overturn a hard-fought EU ban on animal testing, reports the UK daily, the Guardian. According to the newspaper, France has lodged a case at the European court of justice in Luxembourg demanding that the ban be quashed on legal and technical grounds. 19 August 2003, EU Observer (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Germany, Netherlands Plan to Restrict HRT UseGerman and Dutch health authorities intend to restrict the use of hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) to women suffering from acute menopause symptoms,
following recent controversy about the treatment. 19 August 2003, Reuters (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) EU: EU criticises Italy over GM "zero tolerance" EU agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler has criticised Italy for failing to keep in line with the European Union’s policy on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). 18 August 2003, Just-Food.com (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Chinese scientists create 'hybrid' stem cells Chinese scientists have extracted stem cells — which have the potential to form a wide variety of different cell types — from embryos created by fusing human cells with rabbit eggs stripped of their own chromosomes. 14 August 2003, SciDev.Net (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Vatican plans to support GM cropsAfter a number of major steps toward completely lifting ban on genetically modified crops by the EU, the Vatican is also preparing a report in favour of GM food cultivation, causing a stormy reaction within the church. 14 August 2003, euobserver.com (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Fine line for reporting resultsThe fine line that drug companies must tread when reporting data about their products is one focus of a new investigation by the UK's Royal Society into how the results of scientific research are made public. On August 11, the society formally announced the launch of the investigation, which was prompted by a string of controversies about how and when scientists communicate their research results to the public. 14 August 2003, The Scientist Daily News (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) UK scientists set to make first deposit in stem cell bankResearchers in the UK have announced the generation of Europe's first human embryonic stem cell line. 13 August 2003, CORDIS News Also see: The Scientist, 13 August 2003 (http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030813/05) (submitted by SIBLE, UK) Antibiotic ban cuts drug resistant bugsThe World Health Organization has thrown its weight behind growing moves to ban the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in livestock. 13 August 2003, New Scientist (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Amniotic fluid as a novel source of mesenchymal stem cells for therapeutic transplantationResearchers found that stem cells can be taken from the amniotic fluid
of pregnant. With 12 August 2003, BioEthik Discurs (Germany) (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Genetically modified plants can survive drought, find scientistsScientists at the University of Bonn in Germany have identified the gene which enables plants to survive droughts. The news is likely to be welcomed by the country's farmers, who estimate that this year's heat wave could mean the loss of up to 80 per cent of their crops. 12 August, CORDIS News (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Researchers split over importance of latest stem cell discoveryScientists in the US have used genetically modified stem cells to repair heart damage in rats following a heart attack, but it is unclear whether the breakthrough will ultimately benefit human patients. 12 August 2003, CORDIS News (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Long-term HRT doubles breast cancer riskThe overall benefit of long-term hormone replacement therapy is under serious question, after the results of the world's largest ever study revealed significant breast cancer risks. The UK's "Million Women Study" revealed for the first time that postmenopausal women taking a combined form of HRT are twice as likely to develop breast cancer as women who have never taken the hormone preparation. 8 August 2003, New Scientist (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Researchers give clone health warningAs Italian scientists succeed in creating the world's first horse clone, researchers in the UK have raised further questions about the future health of such animals. 7 August 2003, BBC Online (Submitted by DRZE, Germany) Dutch alert on 'sperm for sale'Dutch authorities are investigating a private company which has unveiled plans to deliver "fresh" sperm to prospective parents. 6 August 2003, The Guardian Unlimited (UK) (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) The dawn of gender-specific drugsSome medicines that are safe for men are known to be lethal for some
women. Could this be the beginning of gender prescribing? 6 August 2003, BBC Online (submitted by SIBLE, UK) Vatican to Get Experts to Assess CropsThe Vatican will convene a round-table discussion in the fall to study the ethical and scientific implications of biotech crops, reports the Associated Press. The Vatican "will draw the appropriate conclusions" on using genetically modified organisms after the meeting, Cardinal Renato Martino told Vatican Radio. A day earlier, an Italian newspaper that interviewed him on the divisive issue suggested the Vatican was coming out in favor of biotech crops as a way to combat world hunger. 4 August 2003, Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) Gene test may predict cancer drug responseGenetic screening could determine whether women with breast cancer will respond to a popular drug, or merely suffer the side effects for no benefit, suggests a small new study. 1 August 2003, New Scientist (Submitted by SIBLE, UK) |
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