Ethics & Health Law News

Stay updated with the latest news and journal articles on Health Law & Ethics.

Unwanted gene that runs in the family: Huntington’s disease

Jul 31

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Abortion, Artifical Reproductive Technology, Bioethics, Genetics, Health information and education | Comments off

The Australian, By Tony Kirby, 31 July 2010

“The dilemma of whether to take a diagnostic test for the Huntington’s disease gene is one that affects thousands of families in Australia. Moreover, should the test results be positive, that person’s life, including family planning, becomes very complex. For instance, Bridget, in her early 30s, found out about seven years ago that her mother, Judy, now in her 60s, had HD. “I move in and out of denial,” says Bridget.  On another front, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis has transformed reproductive choices about genetic conditions such as HD and cystic fibrosis. In PGD, several embryos are created and one without the HD gene is chosen for implantation using in-vitro fertilisation treatment. While this ensures the child won’t have the HD gene, it doesn’t guarantee a successful IVF pregnancy. Multiple IVF cycles may be required, so extra embryos are frozen in case they’re needed.”

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New Zealand’s tough IVF rules get more bouncing babies for their buck

Jul 31

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Artifical Reproductive Technology, Clinical Ethics, New Legislation, New Zealand Health Services | Comments off

SMH, By Julie Robotham, 31 July 2010

“Age, weight and smoking restrictions applied to publicly funded in vitro fertilisation treatment in New Zealand have boosted the success rate of the procedure, with results now substantially higher than achieved in Australia.  But Australian doctors and advocates said the New Zealand laws, which allow only two cycles of IVF and withhold taxpayer funding from those aged over 40, were discriminatory and should not be followed here.”

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NHS pays for ‘virgin’ ops

Jul 30

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Clinical Ethics, Gender, Sexuality, UK Health Services | Comments off

The Sun, By Emma Morton, 30 July 2010

“The controversial surgery – costing up to £4,000 a time – is performed in private clinics.  The op is called a hymenoplasty.  In the past five years, the NHS has paid for 116 of the operations. Thousands more women pay for the surgery privately every year, according to doctors.  NHS bosses said that they only fund the op for “physical and psychological” reasons.  But private medics said that it is often being performed to preserve the modesty of women who have had sex before marriage – but do not want their new husbands to know.”

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Women ’should not have right to home birth if at risk’

Jul 30

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Human Rights, Medical Boards and Associations, Pregnancy, Principle-Based Ethics | Comments off

BBC News, AP, 29 July 2010

“The Lancet said mothers-to-be should not be able to opt for them if they put their babies at risk – under UK law women can override medical advice.  It comes after research suggested home births were more risky than hospital delivery.  But doctors said it was rare for women to ignore their wishes in high-risk, complicated cases.”

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New study into Aboriginal health

Jul 30

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Biomedical Research, Discrimination, Health Services, Indigenous Health | Comments off

ABC News, AP, 30 July 2010

“Researchers in WA are trying to determine why most health and social services have failed to significantly improve the health and well being of Aboriginal people.  The project by the Perth Telethon Institute and Murdoch University will take place over five years.  Murdoch University’s Rhonda Marriot says eight studies will be conducted and will involve feedback from Aboriginal communities.”

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E-health records given the thumbs up

Jul 30

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Electronic Medical Records, Privacy & Health Information | Comments off

SMH, By Julie Robotham, 30 July 2010

“Australians favour the idea of an electronic health record – with a significant minority even prepared to pay for it – according to a survey of 1200 people.  But patients and doctors are divided over how much control individuals should have over the contents of the record and whether they should be able to add to it themselves.”

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Online pharmacy prompts warning

Jul 29

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Internet, The Pharmaceutical Industry, Whistleblowing | Comments off

CBC News, AP, 27 July 2010

“An online pharmacy that falsely claims to be Canadian has led to stern warnings from Health Canada.  Global Pharmacy Canada, the agency cautions, is not a licensed pharmacy in Canada nor are its products authorized for sale.”

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‘Choice’ fetish spawns mind-meltingly stupid homeopathy policy

Jul 29

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Health Law, New Legislation, UK Health Services | Comments off

The Guardian, By Martin Robbins, 28 July 2010

“The government has released its eagerly anticipated response to the Science and Technology Committee’s Evidence Check on Homeopathy and, incredibly, it’s even worse than I thought it would be. The verdict is “business as usual”, with the main recommendations of the committee ignored in a fog of confusion and double-think.”

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‘Thou shalt not kill’ must be our guide

Jul 29

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Clinical Ethics, End-of-life Decisions, Health Law, Principle-Based Ethics | Comments off

NZ Herald, By Garth George, 29 July 2010

“Euthanasia is defined by the Concise Oxford Dictionary as “the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable disease or in an irreversible coma”. The Oxford defines murder as “the unlawful premeditated killing of one person by another”. So logic and reason dictate that, stripped of all the emotive and emotional claptrap that surrounds the word euthanasia, it is in fact murder.”

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Ban on human organ sales working

Jul 29

Posted by Nancy Lentz in Global and International Health, Health Law, Organs and Tissue | Comments off

Nine MSN News, AP, 28 July 2010

“Transplants have plunged since 2008, when the health department launched a crackdown on kidney trafficking, Ernesto Vera of the health department’s National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Wednesday.  “It has stopped, that much is clear,” Vera said, referring to kidney trafficking.”

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