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Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Criminalisation of incitement to suicide: the Belgian legislator excludes assisted suicide and euthanasia
On the 22 February, the Belgian legislator adopted the new Book II of the Penal Code, which enshrines the new offence of incitement to suicide. Its aim is to protect people's lives, but it excludes assisted suicide and euthanasia from this range of protection.
Fertility and Pregnancy
Delaying or eliminating menopause thanks to cryopreservation of ovarian tissue?
In the early days of 2024, the prestigious scientific journal American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology published the results of a study to determine the feasibility of cryopreserving ovarian tissue in order to delay...
Surrogacy
Surrogate motherhood: in Rome, a large panel of experts calls for an international ban on the practice
An international conference for the universal abolition of surrogate motherhood was held in Rome on 5 and 6 April 2024.
This meeting of international experts is part of the Casablanca Declaration, signed on 3 March...
Gender & Sexuality
End of puberty blockers for minors: England reviews its treatment of gender dysphoria
On 12 March 2024, following a review of a public consultation and in the face of the many unknowns and concerns raised by an independent study, the British health service (NHS) officially announced that puberty blockers...
Medically Assisted Reproduction
A study highlights the link between artificial procreation and risk of placenta accreta
Published on 29 March 2024 in the journal Nature, the study examines the risk factors associated with placenta accreta* after vaginal delivery. Until now, this complication of pregnancy has been seen, in the majority of cases, in women who have had another complication of pregnancy, placenta previa. However, the study showed...
Abortion
Constitutionalisation of abortion in France: a high-risk symbol
At Versailles on Monday 4 March 2024, French parliamentarians meeting in Congress voted 780 to 52 to include the freedom to have an abortion in the Constitution. The single article aimed at amending article 34 of the...
Medically Assisted Reproduction
PMA: René Frydman criticises the absolutism of the desire for a child
"(...) sometimes you may have to give up medicine before it becomes harmful". Coming from René Frydman, a leading gynaecologist and "father" of France's first IVF baby, this sentence, taken from his latest book La...
Abortion
Protection of the embryo: the Alabama Supreme Court recognises that embryos are "unborn children"
In a ruling handed down on 16 February, the Alabama Supreme Court declared that embryos frozen for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) must be considered as "unborn children" and are therefore protected by law.
In the spotlight
All the newsNews
Extending euthanasia to include mental health conditions: will Canada have a change of heart?
Genetic modification of human embryos: a gateway to eugenics?
France: Will the government force through the euthanasia bill?
Bereavement leave in the event of euthanasia: will it be possible to change one’s mind?
Belgium – Proposed liberalisation of abortion laws: 12, 14 or 18 weeks – a scientific question or an ethical choice?
Belgium: care for people with disabilities under scrutiny from the UN
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