The Journal of the American Medical Association (Volume 307, Issue 17, May 2, 2012) is now available by subscription only.

Articles include:

• “Choosing Wisely: Helping Physicians and Patients Make Smart Decisions About Their Care” by Christine K. Cassel and James A. Guest, 1801-1802.

Close to 8,000 miles from Michigan in the capital city of Bangladesh, a black market trade is taking organs from the poor to save the rich. For the past 10 years, Michigan State University professor Monir Moniruzzaman has dedicated his work to exposing the black market organ trade in Bangladesh.  (Up North Live)

Superovulation procedures and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have provided the means for significant improvement in infertility care. Although generally safe, these procedures are associated with complications that, albeit rare, can have significant morbidity. Complications from superovulation include ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, thromboembolism, and adnexal torsion. Complications from oocyte retrieval include infection, bleeding, bowel injury, and anesthetic complications. Early pregnancy complications from in vitro fertilization include multiple gestations, ectopic pregnancy, and heterotopic pregnancy. Stimulation, retrieval, and transfer techniques can be modified to minimize these risks and prevent complications. Further research in the field is needed to continue to improve the safety of superovulation and ART.  (Medscape Today)

The North Carolina legislature is moving to compensate victims of involuntary sterilization, according to a report.  (Politico)

Alan Purdy, 88, sat by while his beloved Margaret, 84 and in unrelieved pain, killed herself. San Diego County authorities arrested him, but the issue is tough for everyone involved.  (Los Angeles Times)

A colourblind artist from Barcelona is hoping Irish authorities will allow him to be photographed for his passport wearing an electronic eye.  (Belfast Telegraph)

The Missouri House approved legislation Wednesday that would allow health care workers, medical centers and others to refuse to provide contraception or carry out procedures that violate their religious or ethical beliefs.  (stltoday)

Assembly member Amy R. Paulin (D-88th A.D.), chair of the Children and Families Committee, is introducing The Child-Parent Security Act to update New York law to make it easier to establish parentage in cases of assisted reproductive technology.  (Nyack-Piermont Patch)

Using an advanced brain-machine interface, quadriplegic Cathy Hutchinson can steer a robotic arm towards a bottle, pick it up, and drink her morning coffee. The interface is described in the journal Nature.  (Scientific American)

FIFTY women who contracted hepatitis C after having abortions at a Melbourne clinic yesterday launched a class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria.  (The Australian)

When he talks about euthanasia, Professor Bob Douglas borrows a line from a former health minister by saying it’s an issue that has politicians ”hiding under their desks”.  (The Canberra Times)

Childhood vaccination should be made mandatory to prevent parents’ bad choices putting other vulnerable children at risk, an expert has argued.  (Australian Doctor)

The New England Journal of Medicine (Volume 366, Issue 19, May 10, 2012) is now available on-line and by subscription only.

Articles include:

• “Reproductive Technologies and the Risk of Birth Defects” by M.J. Davies et al, 1803-1813.

The New England Journal of Medicine (Volume 366, Issue 18, May 3, 2012) is now available on-line and by subscription only.

Articles include:

• “From an Ethics of Rationing to an Ethics of Waste Avoidance” by Howard Brody, available on-line.
• “Becoming a Physician: Freedom from the Tyranny of Choice — Teaching the End-of-Life Conversation”  by D. Lamas and L. Rosenbaum, 1655-1657.

A small Catholic college in Ohio said Tuesday it was dropping health insurance coverage for students rather than comply with a federal mandate that the plan provide free birth control.  (Reuters)

Moscow calls for “…a full investigation into the crimes alleged to have been committed in Kosovo, including illegal human organ trafficking.” This was stated at a meeting of the UN Security Council by Russia’s permanent representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin.  (The Voice of Russia)

When Martha and Matt Merrill tried in-vitro fertilization at UW Health’s Generations Fertility Care, doctors implanted only one embryo. Daughter Harper was born in April 2011.  (Wisconsin State Journal)

In a study identifying the risk of major birth defects associated with different types of assisted reproductive technology, Australian researchers have reported a significantly higher risk of birth defects involving intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) compared to in vitro fertilization (IVF).  (Modern Medicine)

Vejthani Hospital Bangkok recommends a gender selection procedure for a couple who desire to choose a child’s gender at Vejthani ART Center.  (Business Wire)

ALMOST half of South Australians believe embryos left over from fertility treatment should be used for research, a survey has found.  (The Advertiser)

Sex reassignment is an intricate and sensitive physiological, psychological, and social process that usually entails the loss of reproductive capacity. Reproductive technology can prevent this loss, but should it be used for that purpose? A recent case in Israel raises this question.  (BioNews)