May 14, 2012
Fertility-frustrated women turning to India
Customer service, medical testing, manufacturing… just some of the things that are outsourced to India. Some call it globalization, while others cry exploitation.  (Fox 10 News)
Monthly Archives: May 2012
May 14, 2012
Shelburne: Authors defend ‘after-birth abortion’
The medical correspondent for the London-based Daily Telegraph, Stephen Adams, shined the media spotlight on a medical journal article in favor of killing babies. Â (Amarillo Globe-News)
May 14, 2012
So Eager for Grandchildren, They’re Paying the Egg-Freezing Clinic
At the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, a popular destination for women hoping to preserve their fertility by freezing their eggs, Dr. William Schoolcraft, the founder and medical director, has started to notice something different: more of the women are … Read More
May 14, 2012
FDA sees benefits and risks with first over-the-counter HIV test for home use
The Food and Drug Administration is considering approval of the first over-the-counter HIV test that would allow consumers to quickly test themselves for the virus at home, without medical supervision. Â (GazetteXtra)
May 14, 2012
“I found my embryos on Craigslistâ€
“Hey, I got a really good deal on embryos on Craigslist the other day.†Hopefully this story from Iowa is not a harbinger of things to come. Two couples, in Chicago and Florida, found their embryos through a Craigslist discussion … Read More
May 14, 2012
Misoprostol for all women seeking abortion?
Abortion is one of the central pillars of safe maternal and women’s health. Legal induced abortion is a very safe procedure—deaths are rare and fewer than after birth. 1 The major health concern is restricted access to services, but abortion … Read More
May 14, 2012
Direct-to-consumer Genetics Tests
More than a dozen companies deCODE Genetics and Navigenics, test consumers’ genomes for single-gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis; for risks of developing complex disorders involving multiple genes, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes; for sensitivities to drugs such … Read More
May 14, 2012
£750 for your eggs: Fertility firm targets Cambridge Uni girls as critics blast company for exploiting ‘financially vulnerable’ students
Thousands of Cambridge students have been targeted by a firm offering up to £750 to egg donors.  (Mail Online)
May 14, 2012
Argentine Senate approves ‘dignified death’ law
Argentina’s senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a “dignified death” law giving terminally ill patients and their families more power to make end-of-life decisions. Â (Rapid City Journal)
May 14, 2012
More data rolls in about IVF birth defects
The contentious issue of birth defects in babies conceived with IVF is on the boil again after a major study was published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers at the University of Adelaide, in Australia, confirmed … Read More
May 14, 2012
Australian researchers study link between fertility treatments and birth defects
Every year, more than 3.7 million babies are born with the help of fertility treatments, but a new study out of Australia suggests that they’re more likely to be born with birth defects. Researchers studied popular treatments including fertility drug … Read More
May 14, 2012
Contraceptive patch and ring associated with higher blood clot risk
I reported previously on the increased risk of blood clots with certain forms of birth control pills — such as Yasmin and Beyaz — that contain the progesterone drospirenone. But it turns out non-oral hormonal contraceptives may pose even higher … Read More
May 14, 2012
‘Futile care’ duty to die may be coming to a hospital near you
When a Canadian man named Hassan Rasouli suffered complications after brain surgery, his doctors wanted to pull the plug. But his Muslim family said no. It was against Hassan’s values, and moreover, they believed he showed signs of improvement. In … Read More
May 14, 2012
Bioethics think tank’s ties to pain pill industry studied
A U.S. Senate committee is examining a Kansas City-based bioethics think tank’s financial ties to the pain-pill industry.  (The Kansas City Star)
May 14, 2012
The Constitution, Deprivation of Life, and Personhood
The view that a “personhood” law or a “personhood” amendment to a state constitution would outlaw abortion is widespread among the public. Furthermore, pro-abortion proponents, and even a trial court judge, claim that legally defining the word “person” to include … Read More
May 14, 2012
Abortion Activist to Resign: Wants Youth to Be More Engaged
Abortion activist Nancy Keenan and president of National Abortion Rights Action League, NARAL will step down by the end of this year, amidst concerns of an “intensity gap” of young pro-choice engagement of the youth as compared to pro-life passion … Read More
May 14, 2012
The boom of medical tourism
Trout pouts, tummy tucks and breast implants. There was a time – not that many years ago – when genial German hotel manager Frank Heller would never hear such phrases in his line of work. Â (7 Days in Dubai)
May 11, 2012
Stem Cell Study Shows Promising Results Against Heart Failure
A new treatment that involves spinning bone marrow stem cells to enhance their healing potential may help people with advanced heart failure feel and function better, a small study suggests. (U.S. News and World Report)
May 11, 2012
Child deaths: Preventable infections ‘the leading cause’
Most deaths of young children around the world are from mainly preventable infectious causes, experts have said. (BBC News)
May 11, 2012
When Disaster Strikes the Nursing Home
As hailstones the size of golf balls beat thunderously on the roof of the nursing home, an urgent announcement rang out from the loudspeakers. (NY Times)
May 10, 2012
Stem cell shield ‘could protect cancer patients’
It may be possible to use “stem cell shielding” to protect the body from the damaging effects of chemotherapy, early results from a US trial suggest. (BBC News)
May 10, 2012
New Zealand offers contraception to women on welfare
New Zealand’s government is to offer women on welfare benefits, and their daughters, free long-term contraception in a move immediately rejected by rights groups Tuesday as insulting to women. (AFP)
May 10, 2012
IUDs Work Best for Emergency Contraceptive
Intrauterine devices, or IUDs, have been shown to be the best and most reliable emergency contraceptive for women, according to a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction. (ABC News)
May 10, 2012
Vatican board asked to resign over conference
Members of the Vatican’s bioethics advisory panel have called for its board to resign after scientists who don’t support core church teaching on issues like birth control and infertility were featured at its annual conference. (AP)
May 10, 2012
Argentina Senate passes ‘dignified death’ law
The Argentine Senate has approved a “dignified death” law to give the terminally ill and their families more say in end-of-life decisions. (BBC News)
