Chile’s “natural experiment” suggests that banning abortion will not kill more women
Legal, safe and rare abortion is often seen as a necessary component of women’s health. However, a study of abortion in Chile published this week...
Should eugenics become a “fundamental human right”?
Should termination of Down syndrome foetuses be regarded as a fundamental human right? This is an issue which the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)...
How long should women persevere with IVF?
In Israel women with up to two children can receive unlimited free, government-funded IVF treatment. This means that it is an ideal place to test...
Corruptio optimi pessima, o medice?
The behaviour of Nazi doctors is universally accepted as a touchstone of bioethics. In the current issue of the Journal of Medical Ethics, a medical...
Our new site for smart phones
Hi there, We have a new feature– a mobile site for those of you who would like to read BioEdge on your smart phone. Here...
UK teen recovers “fully” after 4 doctor found him “brain dead”
Miraculous recoveries from brain trauma are always good news, but they may not be as miraculous as they first seem. However, the Daily Mail’s account...
Let’s give intellectually disabled the right to euthanasia, say Belgian humanists
People with intellectual disabilities, all children and people with dementia should be able to request euthanasia, the Belgian Liberal Humanist Association (HVV) has declared.People with...
Would a world without us be better for all concerned?
“More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let...
IVF linked to risk of birth defects and heart disease
Two recent studies have shown that the incidence of birth defects and long-term circulatory problems is much higher among children conceived with IVF. Two recent...
Controversial guidelines for UK doctors
The General Medical Council, the UK body which registers and disciplines doctors, is proposing controversial amendments to its guidelines for good patient care. A proposed...
“Human dignity”: more action in the trenches
A bioethicist at Weill Cornell Medical College has fired another salvo in the battle of human dignity. Writing in the May issue of the journal...
Should surrogacy become a profession and not just another job?
Two New Zealand bioethicists have suggested that surrogacy should be treated as a dignified profession, not just contract work. America’s most fecund surrogate mother has...