LIFEAlerts

Abortion USA – Wisconsin Abortions Drop 7{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} as 465 Babies Saved Form Abortions South  Africa – Illegal abortions and dodgy doctors Alternative Medicine South Africa – Killing of Children for “Muti Trading” is Not Declining Euthanasia South Africa – Anglican-Archbishops weigh in on ‘right to die with dignity’ Belgium – Euthanasia law challenged HIV/AIDS No news today Homosexuality USA – Journalists strategize to report on being homosexualUSA – Homosexual marriage bans violate charter Germany – Radical ‘gender’ paradigm could lead to global totalitarianism IVF & Surrogacy UK – British MP blasts “three-parent embryos” USA – Let’s chill: New York’s egg freezing party UK – Should we criminalize scientific misconduct? Medical Ethics USA – When do we lose our human life? UK – Tough sanctions for a blind eye UK – Should we criminalize scientific misconduct? Pedophilia No news today Pornography USA – Could Gymnast McKayla Maroney Face Child Pornography Charges? Prostitution &Trafficking USA – Technology won’t make prostitution safer Canada – New prostitution bill will protect prostitutes South  Africa – Asian women lured to SA for sex work USA – Options bring hope to former prostitutes Stem Cells & Cloning No news today Substance Abuse USA – Why Synthetic Marijuana Is More Toxic To The Brain Than PotUSA – Cannabis use among college students at a three-decade high USA – Marijuana’s Effect on Dopamine Key to Mood Changes USA – City mandates free ‘medical marijuana’ for low-income residents   Abortion USA – Wisconsin Abortions Drop 7{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} as 465 Babies Saved Form Abortions The newly-released Department of Health Services Report on Induced Abortions in Wisconsin shows there were 6,927 abortions performed in 2012 and 6,462 in 2013. There were 465 fewer abortions in 2013 than in 2012. Wisconsin Right to Life will vigorously continue its multi-faceted programs which work to fuel the decline. http://www.lifenews.com/2014/09/03/wisconsin-abortions-drop-7-465-babies-saved-form-abortions/ South  Africa – Illegal abortions and dodgy doctors Bogus doctors operate illegal and unsafe abortion clinics in the Durban city centre as local authorities have turned a blind eye to the illicit trade. A lack of resources for the Inner City of  Thekweni had allowed bogus doctors in “backstreet” operations to mushroom. It has been over three years that there has been a raid on these abortion clinics. The rise in illegal and unsafe “clinics” has raised concerns from health-care professionals who said the procedures and medicines given by the bogus doctors could be harmful, and even lead to death. These fly-by-night operations offer abortion to 20 weeks and even beyond that, which is totally against the law.” http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/illegal-abortions-and-dodgy-doctors-1.1747749#.VA7DwKPdO_I Alternative Medicine South Africa – Killing of Children for “Muti Trading” is Not Declining A Mozambican non-government organization, Human Rights League and South Africa’s Childline, have delved into the gory practice of muti trading. The report of the study detailed gory accounts of children’s frozen heads and genitals being smuggled into South Africa from Mozambique. A woman in the Free State was told  by a traditional healer to wear a belt made of young boys’ private parts and little children’s fingers to help ease her difficult pregnancy. The sangoma charged her R4000 for the muthi. The traditional healer also instructed her to drink a concoction she believed contained blood and fat. After falling ill, the woman burnt the items and went to see a doctor at a hospital instead. http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=950495 <Back to Top> Euthanasia South Africa – Anglican-Archbishops weigh in on ‘right to die with dignity’ Does the right to life always trump needless suffering? Anglican archbishops are lining up on opposing sides of the euthanasia debate, as the British parliament prepares to debate a bill on whether terminally ill people should be granted the right to choose when to die. While South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu has already come out in support of euthanasia and the right to die. http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/opinion/archbishops-weigh-in-on-right-to-die-with-dignity/ Belgium – Euthanasia law challenged A Belgian man is challenging the country’s euthanasia law in the European Court of Human Rights. Dr Tom Mortier’s mother was put to death by a doctor for “untreatable depression” even though she was not terminally ill. Mortier did not find out what had happened until he received a telephone call the day after her death. “The government has an obligation to protect life, not assist in promoting death,” said a lawyer working on the case, Robert Clarke, of the Alliance for Defending Freedom. “A person can claim that she should be able to do whatever she pleases, but that does not override the government’s responsibility to protect the weak and vulnerable. We are encouraging the European Court to uphold this principle, which is completely consistent with the European Convention on Human Rights.” http://www.mercatornet.com/careful/view/14732 <Back to Top> HIV/AIDS & STI’s No news today <Back to Top> Homosexuality USA – Journalists strategize to report on being homosexual Reporters from some of the key organizations on which Americans depend for their news attended a Chicago conference where the goal was to figure out how to promote homosexuality, according to a critic. Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth said journalists “are supposed to portray both sides of an issue,” so he wondered what it means when a specific agenda is promoted. He found that $10,000 sponsors of the special-interest conference included Fox News, CNN and ESPN. Contributors listed at $5,000 were CBS, Comcast, Gannett, Bloomberg and Crain, while Cox Media and McClatchy were listed as $2,500 donors. http://www.wnd.com/2014/08/journalists-strategize-to-report-on-being-gay/ USA – Homosexual marriage bans violate charter An appeals court declared that homosexual marriage bans in Wisconsin and Indiana violated the US Constitution, on the same day that 32 states asked the Supreme Court to settle the issue once and for all. The decision by a three-judge panel blasted the argument that only matrimony between a man and a woman should be allowed because it is, simply tradition. It also criticized another argument from the states that homosexuals should not be allowed to marry because, on their own, they can’t procreate, saying that rationale “is so full of holes that it cannot be taken seriously”. http://www.news24.com/World/News/Gay-marriage-bans-violate-US-charter-court-20140905 Germany – Radical ‘gender’ paradigm could lead to global totalitarianism Author Gabriele Kuby spoke to Catholic World Report on her new book, “The Global Sexual Revolution: The Destruction of Freedom in the Name of Freedom.” Kuby said that this is the first time in human history that a whole civilization has knowingly and deliberately “turned sexual norms completely upside down.” No human society has ever tried to re-write human sexuality, and the current global trend may be leading the world down new dark paths of statist totalitarianism, warns a German author and social commentator.” “Our hyper-individualized society claims that we have freedom to choose our sex, whether we are man or woman, and it is our freedom to choose our sexual orientation,” she said. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3205367/posts <Back to Top> IVF &Surrogacy UK – British MP blasts “three-parent embryos” A British politician has blasted proposals for “three-parent embryos”. In a terse summary of objections to the practice of mitochondrial transfer to prevent diseases, Sir Edward Leigh told the House of Commons  that despite strong support from UK scientists and bioethicists and generally favorable treatment in the media, no other country in the world has authorized modification of the human genome. “Do we really want to become a rogue state in terms of bioethics?” he asks. He also argues that the procedure “cures” no one. It simply prevents the birth of handicapped children. But this comes at the cost of destroying a human embryo for its “useful parts”. “There is no way that that can be considered ethical,” he says. http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/11136 USA – Let’s chill: New York’s egg freezing party Commercialization of IVF is crossing new frontiers in New York with “egg freezing parties” for career women who want to keep their options open. A company called EggBanxx will retrieve and store eggs – for about US$7,000 per cycle. To promote its product, EggBanxx is organizing “Let’s Chill” parties in New York to discover how it works and how much it costs. Lord Winston, a British IVF pioneer, argues that egg freezing is “a confidence trick” that allows IVF clinics to exploit fears of desperate women. “Women are spending vast amount of money on this treatment but the success rates simply aren’t there. In fact less than 10{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of the women who do it end up getting pregnant,” he says. http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/11134 UK – Women risk lives for IVF Women are putting their lives in danger by purchasing illegal IVF drugs from the EBay for a third of the normal market price, and many desperate women are turning to it as a last resort. The fertility drugs include Suprecur, Cetrotide and Menopur which are used to stimulate the ovary to produce more eggs to increase fertility and as part of IVF procedures. One British woman, 26-year-old Lorraine Davy, almost died after taking the ovulation stimulation drug Clomid. “I got rushed into A&E and they did an ultrasound and the doctor said I had a massive cyst on my ovaries”. The British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has contacted EBay to have the drugs removed from auction. http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/11143 <Back to Top> Medical Ethics USA – When do we lose our human life? The academic conversation over brain death continues, with the American journal of Bioethics publishing a special issue on the status of death determined by neurological criteria (DDNC). The issue contains 20 articles offering different perspectives on brain death. Most of the papers refer a recent legal battle in Texas over Marlise Munoz, a brain dead woman carrying a second trimester foetus. The papers are highly technical and difficult to summarize but there are a number of clear themes: The academics argue over the philosophical definition of death: is it the cessation of mental processes, the end of what is know as the ‘organism as a whole’, or is it the end of functions such as respiration, metabolism, and growth? http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/11121 http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/uajb20/14/.U__lL2S1Z2A#.VAgb9dKSzmU UK – Tough sanctions for a blind eye Doctors who fail to raise concerns about colleagues could be struck off, under new guidance. The UK’s General Medical Council (GMC) has launched consultation on proposed changes to augment scope for disciplinary action. New scenarios covered include cases where a doctor has failed to raise concerns, “where there is a reason to believe a colleague’s fitness to practice is impaired” and, “where a patient is not receiving basic care to meet their needs”. There will be more serious sanctions where doctors, “used their professional position to pursue a sexual or improper emotional relationship with a patient or someone close to them” and where doctors have failed to work collaboratively, “including bullying, sexual harassment, or violence or risk to patient safety.” http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/11120 UK – Should we criminalize scientific misconduct? In an interview with the New Scientist, Dr. Richard Smith, former editor of the British Medical Journal, argues that the criminalization of research fraud is a necessary measure. Smith argues that scientific fraud causes serious social harm, citing disgraced autism researcher Dr. Andrew Wakefield. Wakefield’s now discredited study on the link between vaccination and autism caused a massive drop in the number of childhood vaccinations. Smith also argues that the nature of science means scientists should be held to a higher standard than the general public. “The temptation to ignore, undermine, or even falsify the offending data is huge. Only those with the highest levels of honesty can accept, let alone be delighted, when data destroy their theories.” http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/11141 <Back to Top> Pedophilia No news today <Back to Top> Pornography USA – Could Gymnast McKayla Maroney Face Child Pornography Charges? A new “We the People” petition is asking the Obama administration to charge gold-medal gymnast McKayla Maroney with production or possession of child pornography because the recently leaked nude images of her were taken when she was underage. The U.S. Department of Justice defines child pornography as “any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor.” In an effort to protect children, Congress and state legislatures deem production, possession or dissemination of child pornography illegal, regardless of who is responsible. If the average under-18 American is caught in a “sexting” scenario by law enforcement in most states, they could face these charges and if convicted, they would have to register as a sex offender. http://www.newsweek.com/could-gold-medal-gymnast-mckayla-maroney-face-child-pornography-charges-269060 <Back to Top> Prostitution & Trafficking USA – Technology won’t make prostitution safer The Internet’s promise of increased safety quickly vanishes once the “independent businesswoman” is alone in an apartment or hotel room with her “client.” The Internet will do nothing to stop assault, robbery and rape. In addition, the prostituted woman can’t see who is approaching her like she can on the street. She can’t use her intuition to avoid someone who gives her a bad vibe. She doesn’t know who’s on the other end of a phone call or who’s really soliciting her. The combined effects of the Internet and legalization will not make prostitution a meaningful choice for women. It will only lead to greater harm. According to one survivor of prostitution, “legalization will not end abuse; it will make abuse legal.” http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/274171931.html Canada – New prostitution bill will protect prostitutes Justice Minister Peter MacKay defended his prostitution bill as a balanced policy that criminalizes the purchase of sex but gives prostitutes “immunity” from prosecution so they can ply their trade more safely. “It’s my belief that prostitution is inherently dangerous,” he added, saying the government regards prostitutes as victims who need to be protected from those dangers. Under the government’s proposal, prostitution would be illegal and the law would target johns and pimps with criminal penalties if they bought sex from prostitutes or exploited them.  Although the government has said it wants to end exploitation against prostitutes, it also proposes to penalize them if they sell sex next to a school, playground or daycare centre. http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/09/09/peter-mackay-says-new-prostitution-bill-will-protect-sex-workers-but-goal-is-to-end-sex-trade/ South  Africa – Asian women lured to South Africa for sex work Asian women are working as prostitutes in private homes across Durban.  Hundreds of Asian women are being lured to work in the illicit sex industry, operating from suburban Durban homes. The women, mostly Chinese and Thai nationals, offer their services through local online “escort services” websites and charge anything from R300 for a half hour to R700 an hour for their company. Police sources believe that many of these women are being trafficked into the country by organized crime syndicates. The US State departments 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report found that the South African government “lacked formal procedures for properly screening and identifying trafficking victims among vulnerable groups, including illegal migrants and women in prostitution”. http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/asian-women-lured-to-sa-for-sex-work-1.1743145#.VBBpnFcr1Ux USA – Options bring hope to former prostitutes The Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Office has launched a Sexual Education Responsibility Program – commonly called “John School.” The program aims to teach men arrested for soliciting prostitutes about the sexual trauma, addiction and serious issues associated with prostitution. “They need to understand they are clients in the market that generates this kind of torture and abuse,” said James Carpenter, chief of the D.A.’s Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit. Judge Lori Dumas, who heads the program, said it also aims to decriminalize juveniles who come into the system after being trafficked, often when they’re arrested for prostitution. It seeks to connect them with treatment and to get them out of the system without a delinquent adjudication on their record, she said. http://articles.philly.com/2014-09-12/news/53816780_1_prostitution-special-court-problem-solving-court <Back to Top> Stem Cells & Cloning No news today <Back to Top> Substance Abuse USA – Why Synthetic Marijuana Is More Toxic To The Brain Than Pot One of the original chemists who designed synthetic cannabis for research purposes, John W. Huffman, PhD once said that he couldn’t imagine why anyone would try it recreationally. Whether that’s the case or not, the numbers of users is rising. New Hampshire has declared a state of emergency, and the number of emergency room visits for overdose from the drug has jumped. It’s more efficient at binding and acting in the brain. One reason that synthetic cannabis can trigger everything from seizures to psychosis is how it acts in the brain. Like the active ingredient in pot, THC, synthetic cannabis binds the CB1 receptor. One teen died earlier this month after slipping into a coma, reportedly from using the drug. http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2014/08/28/6-reasons-synthetic-marijuana-spice-k2-is-so-toxic-to-the-brain/ USA – Cannabis use among college students at a three-decade high Daily cannabis (marijuana) use among college students is the highest it’s been in more than three decades. The group of University of Michigan scientists who conducted the nationwide ‘Monitoring the Future’ study (MTF) says illicit drug use has been rising gradually among American college students since 2006, when 34 percent indicated that they used some illicit drug .”This is the highest rate of daily use observed among college students since 1981″ Lloyd Johnston, the principal investigator of the MTF study, said in a statement. “one in every 20 college students was smoking pot on a daily or near-daily basis in 2013. From 1990 to 1994, fewer than one in 50 college students used marijuana that frequently.” http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/09/regular_marijuana_use_among_co.html USA – Marijuana’s Effect on Dopamine Key to Mood Changes People who regularly use marijuana have increased odds of experiencing significant symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as an unusual sensitivity to the impact of emotional stress. This fact also holds true for occasional users of the drug. In a study published in June 2014 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from three U.S. institutions sought to determine why marijuana users have heightened risks for unpleasant mood changes and stress reactions. These researchers concluded that the cause may be marijuana’s ability to alter the brain’s reaction to a key chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is one of the brain chemicals that make it possible for nerve cells to “talk” to one another. http://www.journeycenters.com/news/marijuanas-effect-dopamine-key-mood-changes/ USA – City mandates free ‘medical marijuana’ for low-income residents The Berkeley City Council in California has unanimously approved the ordering of cannabis dispensaries to donate 2 percent of their stash to people making less than $32,000 a year. Bishop Ron Allen, a former addict and head of the International Faith Based Coalition, told Fox News he doesn’t understand why the California city would want to dump pot on the impoverished. “It’s ludicrous, over-the-top madness,” Allen said. John Lovell, a lobbyist for the California Narcotic Officers’ Association, agrees. “Instead of taking steps to help the most economically vulnerable residents get out of that state, the city has said, ‘Let’s just get everybody high,’” Lovell told The New York Times. http://www.myfoxny.com/story/26448679/city-mandates-free-medical-marijuana-for-low-income-residents <Back to Top> Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International]]>

Abortion UK – Abortion doctors may consult via Skype Alternative Medicine South Africa – State to oppose alternative medicine court action Euthanasia Belgium – Five killed in Belgium Every Day as euthanasia soarsSwitzerland – Group to allow assisted dying for not terminally ill elderlyUSA – More patients participating in Washington assisted suicide program HIV/AIDS No news today Homosexuality West Indies – AIDS expert fired for testifying on the harm of homosexualityAustralia – Relationship problems a leading cause of homosexual suicides UK – Psychiatrists in climb-down on ‘born gay’ claimUSA – Texas favors ‘reparative therapy’ for homosexuals IVF & Surrogacy No news today Medical Ethics USA – Should doctors take part in executions?USA – The ethics of preimplantation diagnosisUK – Top employment strategies for discouraging conscientious objectionIsrael – Should we allow organ transplants from HIV positive donors? Pedophilia No news today Pornography USA – Many countries still do not consider child porn a crime Prostitution &Trafficking South Africa – Child prostitute says punish my pimp Stem Cells & Cloning No news today Substance Abuse South Africa – Call to suspend all dagga prosecutionsUSA – Pot patients don’t know what they’re gettingUSA – National study links marijuana use to adverse effectsGhana – Marijuana may affect fertility in young men

Abortion UK – Ireland women not entitled to free NHS abortions in EnglandUSA – Missouri lawmakers approve 72-hour waiting periodUSA – With New Bill, Abortion Limits Spread in South Alternative Medicine South Africa – Herbal remedies can be toxic: researcher Euthanasia UK – TV personalities agree to assisted death pactBelgium – Belgian doctor shows where the slippery slope ends HIV/AIDS No news today Homosexuality USA – Syphilis Cases Climbing Among homosexual menUSA – Conversion therapy bans stall across the nationUSA – Judge to be impeached after homosexual marriage ruling South Africa – Lifting of ban on homosexuals donating blood IVF & Surrogacy USA – Older infertile couples should try in vitro fertilization first Medical Ethics UK – Concern over new medical experimentation billUK – Conscientious objectors barred from qualification in UK Pedophilia Germany – Pedophile brains ‘abnormally tuned to children’ Pornography USA – Porn magazines to be banned from military basesUSA – The truth about the porn industryUSA – Porn is a public health issue Prostitution &Trafficking Canada – Use provincial laws to fight prostitution Stem Cells & Cloning USA – Controversy over cardiac stem cells could sink “heart failure cure”USA –  bioethics commission calls for ethics education in neuroscience Substance Abuse USA – Synthetic Marijuana Hospitalizes 45 in TexasUSA – Recreational Marijuana May Be Linked To Brain ChangesUSA – WHO says alcohol killed 3.3 million in 2012 USA – Marijuana Legalization In States Making Waves At UN

Abortion

UK – Ireland women not entitled to free NHS abortions in England

Women from Northern Ireland are not legally entitled to free abortions on the NHS in England, the High Court in London has ruled. The case was brought by a 15-year-old girl and her mother who live in Northern Ireland. Unlike the rest of the UK, abortion is only allowed in very restricted circumstances in Northern Ireland. More than 1,000 women each year travel from NI to have an abortion in other parts of the UK. Because Northern Ireland is not covered by the 1967 Abortion Act, which applies in the rest of the UK, the judge, Mr Justice King, has ruled this was not a discrimination issue.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27325363

USA – Missouri lawmakers approve 72-hour waiting period

Missouri’s Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to legislation requiring a woman to wait three days after first seeing a doctor before having an abortion. The measure would triple Missouri’s current 24-hour waiting period and put the state in line with Utah and South Dakota as the only states to mandate a 72-hour time frame. The House voted 111-39 in favour of the measure Wednesday. Under both current law and the new legislation, Missouri’s abortion waiting period doesn’t apply in instances deemed by a doctor to be a medical emergency. But women do have to wait in cases of rape and incest.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/05/15/missouri-lawmakers-pass-3-day-abortion-wait-period/

USA – With New Bill, Abortion Limits Spread in South

The Louisiana State Legislature has passed a bill that could force three of the state’s five abortion clinics to close, echoing rules passed in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, and raising the possibility of drastically reduced access to abortion across a broad stretch of the South. The new rules passed by Republican legislatures require that doctors performing abortions must have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Abortion providers and many medical experts call the requirement a thinly disguised effort to shut down clinics and undermine the right to abortion under Roe v. Wade. The Louisiana House of Representatives passed the legislation by an 88-to-5 vote. The bill passed the State Senate last week.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/us/politics/new-bill-spreads-abortion-limits-in-south.html?hpw&rref=us&_r=0

Alternative Medicine

South Africa – Herbal remedies can be toxic: researcher

A researcher has revealed that some herbal remedies can contain very toxic elements. “The toxic constituents are capable of causing adverse health effects when consumed, for instance, there are some plant species that contain cardiac glycosides that causes heart problems in humans,” says Salmon Adebayo, a Doctoral Degree candidate at the Tshwane University of Technology. A Ugandan study published in the online journal Plos One, found that “traditional herbal medicine use was independently associated with a substantial increase in significant liver fibrosis in both HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected study participants.” Adebayo’s presentation revealed that more than 80{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of South Africans use herbal remedies for their primary healthcare needs.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/2014/05/12/herbal-remedies-can-be-toxic-researcher

Euthanasia

UK – TV personalities agree to assisted death pact

Two TV personalities Judy Finnigan and husband Richard Madeley have said they have agreed to an assisted death pact should one of them fall seriously ill. This, even though these headline-grabbing comments go against advice of organizations like the World Health Organisation, which says that discussions about suicide and assisted suicide need to be handled very carefully, to prevent taking your own life or helping someone to die appear normal. Changing the law so you can kill a loved one, or be killed would put many vulnerable people at risk who might be pressured into ending their life, because they might feel that they had become either a care or financial burden.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27371266

Belgium – Belgian doctor shows where the slippery slope ends

Dr Wim Distelmans, is organizing an instructional tour to Auschwitz, the Nazi extermination camp in October, according to him, an ‘inspiring’ surrounding in which to ‘clarify confusion about euthanasia’. What it does show is how little distance there is between Belgian euthanasia in 2014 and Nazi death camps in 1944. Linking the right to die and the Nazis is a no-no in most circles. In fact, they lost their arguments as soon as they mention the word “Nazi”. Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick the Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Europe and a leader of Not Dead Yet UK, and Dr Tom Mortier, replied, ‘we have never, ever, linked him to the atrocities, the inhumanity, and the repellent euphemisms of the Nazi era. He has done this all by himself.’

http://www.mercatornet.com/careful/view/14082

HIV/AIDS & STI’s

No news today

Homosexuality

USA – Syphilis Cases Climbing Among homosexual men

Cases of the sexually transmitted disease, once almost eliminated in the United States, have more than doubled among men who have sex with men (msm) since the year 2000, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We are very concerned about what we consider this rising epidemic of syphilis among msm,” said Dr. Gail Bolan, director of the CDC’s division of STD prevention. “This is a consistent, disturbing trend.” In 2000, the year with the fewest cases of syphilis, there were 6,000 cases nationwide. In 2013, there were more than 16,000 cases of syphilis, 91 percent of these in men. “We haven’t seen case numbers like that since back in the ’90s,” Bolan said.

http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/news/20140509/syphilis-cases-climbing-among-gay-men-cdc

USA – Conversion therapy bans stall across the nation

A movement to ban the controversial practice of “conversion therapy” that counsels homosexual children and teens on how to become straight is meeting with unexpected problems. Christopher Doyle, a licensed clinical professional counselor who supports sexual orientation change efforts, said the bills were losing because of coordinated efforts by ex-gays. They are also arguing that there can’t be a scientific basis for the claim that the therapy is harmful to children since “there is actually not one study” on sexual orientation change efforts and the impact on minors, Mr. Doyle said.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/4/gay-conversion-therapy-bans-stall-across-the-natio/

USA – Judge to be impeached after homosexual marriage ruling

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee a former presidential candidate and staunch social conservative, called on the state’s current governor, Mike Beebe (D), to call a special session of the state legislature to remove Judge Christopher Piazza from office who struck down the homosexual marriage ban that he signed into law 17 years ago. ” Huckabee asserted, Piazza “decided that he is singularly more powerful than the 135 elected legislators of the state, the elected Governor, and 75 percent of the voters of the state. Huckabee also blasted Piazza for issuing his ruling after the close of business Friday, which made “it impossible for the attorney general or other attorneys to file for an immediate stay of his overreaching decision.”

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/205887-huckabee-wants-judge-impeached-after-gay-marriage-ruling

South Africa – Lifting of ban on homosexuals donating blood

In the past, homosexual men were seen as being at high risk of being infected with HIV and could only donate blood to SANBS if they had been celibate for six months or longer. The policy made in 2006 was widely criticised as discriminatory, unfairly targeting homosexual men while allowing heterosexual people who engaged in equally risky or casual sex to donate. Vanessa Raju, SANBS Communications Manager, confirmed that the non-discriminatory policy had been put in place that favors people in monogamous relationships, regardless of sexuality.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2014/05/21/south-africa-lifts-ban-on-gay-men-donating-blood

IVF &Surrogacy

USA – Older infertile couples should try in vitro fertilization first

Middle-aged couples who want to have a baby but are having trouble conceiving should go straight to in vitro fertilization (IVF), skipping other types of fertility treatment, a new clinical trial recommends. Researchers found that women aged 38 and older were more than twice as likely to become pregnant through IVF within their first two cycles of treatment than if they used oral or injectable fertility drugs. They also were twice as likely to have a successful birth from that pregnancy. These findings should cause insurance officials to reconsider their refusal to cover IVF, given that pregnancy occurs more rapidly with IVF and with fewer complications, said Dr. Tomer Singer, a reproductive endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/25443503/older-infertile-couples-should-try-in-vitro-fertilization-first#ixzz31DKS0sWf

Medical Ethics

UK – Concern over new medical experimentation bill

Experts are seriously alarmed at the new Medical Innovation Bill, intended to allow doctors greater freedom to experiment on dying patients. Legal philosopher Jaquline Laing concludes: “In short, medical experimentation on patients is mainstreamed while no clear conditions as to what would constitute degrading and inhuman treatment are anywhere outlined. Indeed, the very possibility of degrading and inhuman treatment is not considered, whether in the language of the bill or in any preamble, and safeguards nowhere outlined.” The Academy of Royal Medical Colleges is opposing the bill on similar grounds. They argued that the prudential requirements set out by the bill were too lax, and furthermore that the bill could turn medical innovation into an individual activity.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10943

UK – Conscientious objectors barred from qualification in UK

The UK Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has barred doctors and nurses from qualifications if they refuse to prescribe or administer contraceptives. Dr. Peter Saunders, head of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said,  “If you look at non-Catholic Christians there would be many who may have no objection to contraception and see it as responsible behaviour but who draw the line at prescribing contraceptives meant to be taken after fertilization”. David Jones, director of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Oxford, said, “This is a form of unjust discrimination against professionals on the basis of their personal beliefs and, indirectly, a form of discrimination against patients who share the same beliefs and who may wish to be treated by professionals with a sympathetic understanding of their position.”

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10945

Pedophilia

Germany – Pedophile brains ‘abnormally tuned to children’

The brains of pedophiles are abnormally “tuned” to be attracted to the faces of children, according to a study conducted by Dr Jorge Ponseti from Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany. 56 male brains were scanned by scientists, including 24 pedophiles, while they looked at photos of men, women, boys and girls faces. The same face and sexual processing regions of the brain were stimulated when adults saw photos of men and women and when pedophiles looked at images of children. The findings confirmed previous research showing that human face processing reflects sexual preferences. However, the study found no reason as to why pedophile brain’s preferred children.

http://www.itv.com/news/2014-05-21/paedophile-brains-abnormally-tuned-to-children/

Pornography

USA – Porn magazines to be banned from military bases

Morality in the Media has demanded the Pentagon take pornography magazines off the shelves at military bases because they are ‘sexually exploitative’. Also, military wives have complained that easy access to porn at bases is breaking up their marriages because their husbands come back from deployment addicted to porn. Pornography is sexually exploitative and the military has a sexual exploitation problem, according to deputy executive director for Morality in Media, Casey Capozzoli. Selling sexually explicit material on base is against the law, according to the Military Honor and Decency Act, passed in 1996. The Department of Defense Appropriations Bill 2014, to be released in June, directs military officials to start the process of pulling the magazines off the shelves.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2353643/Porn-magazines-set-banned-military-bases-servicemens-wives-claim-causes-marriage-break-ups.html#ixzz31xkHy9w2

USA – The truth about the porn industry

Gail Dines, an academic and author of an explosive new book about the sex industry, ‘Pornland: How Porn Has Hijacked Our Sexuality’, interviewed a number of men in prison who had committed rape against children. All were habitual users of child pornography. They all said that they got bored with ‘regular’ porn and wanted something fresh. They were horrified at the idea of sex with a prepubescent child initially but within six months they had all raped a child. Child porn has increased significantly in popularity in recent years, with almost 14m internet searches for “teen sex” in 2006, an increase of more than 60{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} since 2004.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/02/gail-dines-pornography

USA – Porn is a public health issue

The Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation is looking at pornography as a complex social problem that should be framed as a public health issue. Dawn Hawkins of Morality in the Media says porn sites get more visitors per month than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined. A third of all downloads contain porn and the Internet hosts 4.2 million porn websites. Porn is without doubt the most powerful form of sex education today, with studies showing the average age of first viewing porn is between 11 and 14. According to Mary Anne Layden of the University of Pennsylvania, who specializes in sexual trauma, pornography has been a factor in every case of sexual violence that she has treated as a psychotherapist.

http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/love-sex/sex/porn-is-public-health-issue-1.1689487#.U348jdiKCUk

Prostitution & Trafficking

Canada – Use provincial laws to fight prostitution

The federal government is expected to introduce amendments to the Criminal Code soon that will revamp the current law, by targeting pimps and johns but exempting prostitutes from prosecution.  A different approach to the problem is needed and if prostitution is to be eradicated, it must also be fought at the provincial level because provincial laws move faster, have fewer procedural impediments, and could pose a far more immediate threat to the sex-trade industry if properly deployed.  We need to stop regarding prostitution as an issue that can only be addressed by the federal government and with tougher criminal laws. A more coordinated approach, using existing provincial laws, could go a long way to reducing the problem.

http://www.westmanjournal.com/article/20140507/BRANDON0304/140509981/-1/BRANDON/use-provincial-laws-to-fight-prostitution

Stem Cells & Cloning

USA – Controversy over cardiac stem cells could sink “heart failure cure”

An experimental treatment led by Dr Piero Anvera using cardiac stem cells to regenerate heart tissue which was heralded as a revolutionary breakthrough and as a “heart failure cure” in The Lancet, has been retracted, with The Lancet issuing “an expression of concern” about the much-cited paper. “This notice of concern, coupled with the recent retraction, is extremely troubling because of the large number of clinical trials inspired by reports from this group, the many desperate patients potentially affected, and the large amount of federal and private money that has been diverted from other areas of promising research to pursue these ideas,” Professor Jonathan Epstein, of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine commented.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10960

USA –  bioethics commission calls for ethics education in neuroscience

Calling for the integration of ethics into neuroscience, the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues released the 1st of 2 volumes on the ethics of brain research. The commission’s deliberations were shaped by a number of high-profile ethical disasters such as the fad for transorbital lobotomy, a psychosurgical procedure which cured “delusions, obsessions, and nervous tensions. As Chairperson, Amy Gutmann, of the University of Pennsylvania wrote in the Chronicle of Higher Education: “By integrating ethics into neuroscience research early and thoroughly, we can avoid the need for a future bioethics commission to perform a painful postmortem on the Brain Initiative. Ethics in science must not come to the fore for the first time after something has gone wrong.”

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10970

Substance Abuse

USA – Synthetic Marijuana Hospitalizes 45 in Texas

During a 48-hour period over a weekend, 30 people in Dallas were admitted to local hospitals for reportedly overdosing on a synthetic marijuana product known as K2. An APD spokesman said in Texas there is an ongoing investigation into the most recent string of what he called “overdoses.” “This is the first time we’ve seen synthetic marijuana overdoses in ‘mass’ quantities like this. We need to figure out where this stuff is coming from.” Dr. James E’tienne, an emergency physician at Baylor University Medical Center, told Dallas media outlet WFAA-TV, “Several of [the patients] came in with similar symptoms of psychosis, altered mental status, abnormal behavior–ranged from very sedated to an agitated state.

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Texas/2014/05/05/Synthetic-Marijuana-Hospitalizes-45-Smokers-In-Texas

USA – Recreational Marijuana May Be Linked To Brain Changes

New research reports that for each additional joint a person smokes per week, the greater the odds of structural changes to areas involved in motivation, reward, and emotion. “This study raises a strong challenge to the idea that casual marijuana use isn’t associated with bad consequences,” said study author Hans Breiter, psychiatry and behavioral sciences professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and psychiatrist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “Some of these people only used marijuana to get high once or twice a week. People think a little recreational use shouldn’t cause a problem, if someone is doing OK with work or school. Our data directly says this is not the case.

http://ballardcoalition.org/even-recreational-marijuana-may-linked-brain-changes-alice-walton/

USA – WHO says alcohol killed 3.3 million in 2012

More than 3 million people died from using alcohol in 2012, for reasons ranging from cancer to violence. More needs to be done to protect populations from the negative health consequences of alcohol consumption, said Oleg Chestnov, a WHO expert on chronic disease and mental health. He added there was “no room for complacency”, warning that drinking too much kills more men than women, raises people’s risk of developing more than 200 diseases, and killed 3.3 million people in 2012. Poorer people are generally more affected by the social and health consequences of alcohol, he said.  More also needed to be done to raise awareness of the damage alcohol can do to people’s health.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/alcohol-killed-3-3-million-in-2012-who-1.1686974#.U3Fx0EpZCSB

USA – Marijuana Legalization In States Making Waves At UN

With Washington State and Colorado opening the door to legal recreational marijuana use, a United Nations report has been published which takes issue with this drift towards legalization. This year’s annual report commented on the legalization of marijuana in Colorado which, it says, has increased the number of drugged driving accidents. INCB President Raymond Yans urges national governments to look at drug policy through a wide angle lens. What is best for the health of the country? The science behind medical marijuana is sketchy and is seen by the U.N. group as dangerous to public health. Although the U.S. has permitted states to approve marijuana for medical use there is no solid research showing it to have legitimate medical applications.

http://www.addictiontreatmentmagazine.com/addiction/drug-abuse/marijuana-legalization-in-u-s-states-making-waves-at-the-u-n/

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for LifeInternational

Abortion USA – Bill requires mental health info before abortionUSA – Country’s strictest anti-abortion law signed in Mississippi USA – Dobson tears into Obama: ‘Come and get me’ USA – South Carolina 20 Week Abortion Ban Advances Alternative Medicine Australia – Homeopathy is no better than a placebo say scientists Euthanasia UK – Retired art teacher commits suicide due to frustration with modern lifeCanada – Vegetative patient communicates with doctors for first time HIV/AIDS No news today Homosexuality Africa – EU Pressure on Africa to promote homosexualityUSA – Trans Women Are 49 Times More Likely to Have HIV UK – Promoting homosexuality on the rise in UK schools IVF & Surrogacy USA – Rates of IVF continue to growJapan – Researchers find ‘Juno,’ a key to fertility Ghana – First IVF quadruplets delivered in Kumasi Medical Ethics Belgium – Citizens’ Initiative against embryonic stem cells EU can’t ignoreUK – Alarm over care of the elderly India – Row over clinical trial as 254 Indian women die USA – bioethicists take Belgian child euthanasia to task Pedophilia USA – Child abuse costing the church billions of dollarsUK – Downloading child abuse ‘manuals’ to be made illegal Pornography UK – New system can scan the internet for illegal images Prostitution &Trafficking USA – Oklahoma House passes three human trafficking bills USA – Amnesty International should not endorse legalizing prostitutionUK – Outlaw buying sex, says former Tory minister Caroline Spelman Stem Cells & Cloning No news today Substance Abuse USA –  Dagga: Debunking Pot Proponents’ Prison Myths USA – Marijuana and tobacco, treated very differently by governmentUSA – Christie: I Will ‘Never’ Legalize Weed in N.J. USA – Recreational marijuana use can cause changes in brain

Abortion

USA – Bill requires mental health info before abortion

Anti-abortion lawmakers in Louisiana want women seeking the procedure in Louisiana to get pamphlets describing possible psychological effects, the illegality of coerced abortions and services available to human trafficking victims. The House Health and Welfare Committee backed a bill that would require clinics to provide those three brochures to women at the start of their state-mandated 24-hour waiting period before they can have an abortion. That would be added to other printed materials already required under the “Woman’s Right to Know” law, such as information on the foetus’ development in the womb and alternatives to abortion. No committee member objected to sending the bill to the full House for debate.

http://www.centredaily.com/2014/04/09/4126983/bill-requires-mental-health-info.html#storylink=cpy

USA – Country’s strictest anti-abortion law signed in Mississippi

One of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country will go into effect in Mississippi, barring women from seeking an abortion 20 weeks after the beginning of their last menstrual cycle. The bill, signed into law by Gov Phil Bryant on Wednesday and going into effect July 1, calculates conception from the first day of a woman’s last period rather than when the egg becomes fertilized and implanted in the uterus. The new legislation does have exceptions for the life of the mother or if the foetus has no chance of survival.

http://rt.com/usa/154424-harshest-abortion-law-signed-mississippi/

USA – Dobson tears into Obama: ‘Come and get me’

James Dobson a harsh critic of President Obama and an opponent in court,  described him as the “abortion president” during an address. Dobson, whose organization recently won a court fight against Obama over a mandate in Obamacare that would have required his ministry to pay for abortion pills, has not been shy about challenging the president on his abortion agenda. He has made it so that every American will have to pay toward the support of abortion,” he said, noting the $250 million in taxpayer funds that already goes toward Planned Parenthood’s funding. He implored listeners to “keep fighting.” “We can win.

http://www.wnd.com/2014/05/dobson-obama-is-abortion-president/#bdGg4VXDy0RTjqKb.99

USA – South Carolina 20 Week Abortion Ban Advances

Legislation that would ban abortions after 19 weeks in South Carolina has advanced in the state Senate. A Senate subcommittee voted 4-1 to advance the bill after amending it to give exceptions to the ban for cases of rape, incest and foetal anomaly. Supporters believe the ban is needed on the assertion that a foetus at 20 weeks can feel pain. The proposed ban would only affect hospitals, as Planned Parenthood clinics in South Carolina do not provide abortions beyond 19 weeks. Under the ban, doctors who intentionally perform illegal abortions after 19 weeks could be fined $1,000 for first and second offences and $5,000 or three years in prison for a third offence.

http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2014/05/01/sc-20-week-abortion-ban-advances-with-exceptions/

Alternative Medicine

Australia – Homeopathy is no better than a placebo say scientists

Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council analyzed how effective alternative medicine are in treating illnesses and conditions, and concluded that “there is no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective”. Among the 68 ailments that homeopathic remedies failed to treat were: asthma, arthritis, sleep disturbances, and chronic fatigue syndrome,  malaria and heroin addiction. The researchers concluded that alternative treatments were either no more effective than a placebo, or that there was no reliable evidence to suggest it was. At the time, David Colquhoun, a pharmacologist at University College London, told The Independent that homeopathy was “utter nonsense”. Americans have spent $2bn investigating these things … they haven’t found a single one that works,” he said.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/homeopathy-is-no-better-than-a-placebo-scientists-claim-9248896.html

Euthanasia

UK – Retired art teacher commits suicide due to frustration with modern life

An 89-year-old named only as Anne, a retired art teacher, committed suicide at the Dignitas clinic because she was frustrated at the lack of interaction in modern life and because of our reliance on computers and the Internet. In her request to the clinic she said her lack of energy and declining health left her with “a life with no enviable future.” Anne took a lethal dose of barbiturates at the clinic, with her niece Linda, 54 at her side.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/10747672/Retired-art-teacher-committed-suicide-because-of-frustration-with-modern-life.html

Canada – Vegetative patient communicates with doctors for first time

More than a decade after a car crash left him in an apparently vegetative state, Scott Routley has been able to tell scientists he is not in pain. Researchers have recorded the Canadian man’s responses to “yes” and “no” questions, as an MRI machined scanned his brain activity. It’s the first time someone who is uncommunicative and severely brain damaged has been able to give answers related to their care and treatment. Professor Adrian Owen, the study’s lead researcher at Canada’s University of Western Ontario, said 39-year-old Routley was clearly not vegetative and the text books needed rewriting.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/vegetative-patient-communicates-with-doctors-for-first-time/story-fneuz9ev-1226890794841

HIV/AIDS & STI’s

No news today

Homosexuality

Africa – EU Pressure on Africa to promote homosexuality

African governments reacted negatively when the European Parliament passed a resolution last month threatening sanctions on countries that punish homosexual acts. The resolution was a response to Uganda and Nigeria toughening sodomy laws and outlawing the promotion of homosexuality and same-sex marriage. The European Parliament asked that the governments of Uganda and Nigeria no longer be given development aid from the European Union. The Africans promptly countered. Each society has a human right to defend its culture and traditions and “determine its own moral values and norms” through its democratic institutions, African nations said in a declaration issued a few days later.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/eu-pressure-on-homosexuality-complicates-eu-africa-summit

USA – Trans Women Are 49 Times More Likely to Have HIV

Last month, The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) released a report, titled, “Trans Populations and HIV: Time to End the Neglect,” detailing the high rate of HIV infection among transgender men and women along with the failings of the HIV-focused medical community. The report’s estimate suggests that trans women are among the most at risk demographic, and are an estimated 49 times more likely to be living with HIV than members of the general population. Rates of infection are even higher among trans women of color. The reason for this alarmingly high rate of infection appears to hinge on a number of factors, including economic status, a propensity to engage in survival sex work, likelihood of intravenous drug use, and other high-risk behaviors.

http://www.hivplusmag.com/stigma/2014/04/22/shocking-study-trans-women-are-49-times-more-likely-have-hiv-other-women

UK – Promoting homosexuality on the rise in UK schools

“An increasing number of schools are introducing Section 28-style bans on promoting homosexuality, in the classroom,” delegates told the National Union of Teachers’ annual conference in Brighton this week,” media sources report. However, a motion before the conference has said, “That at least 46 schools, including a number of academies, had words similar to the previous legislation in their school policies. ”Deborah Glynn, from St Helens, Lancashire, highlighted research by the British Humanist Association, to the conference, “Which,” she said, “showed that there are many schools bringing this wording back into their policies.”

http://www.theafricom.com/uk-bans-against-promoting-homosexuality-in-the-classroom-on-the-riseteachers-say/

IVF &Surrogacy

USA – Rates of IVF continue to grow

A new healthcare analytics report has revealed just how much the IVF market is growing. The report, produced by Allied Analytics LLP, estimates that the net worth of the IVF market at the end of 2012 was US$9.3 billion, a figure which is set to increase to $21.6 billion by 2020. Delayed pregnancy in women is one of the key factors driving the increased use of IVF. Increased rates of infertility, due to stress levels, change in lifestyle and fertility related diseases, have also contributed to the increase in IVF. Developing economies are emerging to be the most preferred destination for IVF treatments with increasing focus on advanced technologies, improving health care infrastructure and favourable health care cost.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10915

Japan – Researchers find ‘Juno,’ a key to fertility

Fertilization takes place when the female egg and the male sperm fuse and create an embryo. But how the egg and the sperm recognize one another in the first place is a more complicated question. Only in 2005 did Japanese researchers identify a receptor protein named “Izumo” on the sperm that recognized the egg. In the latest edition of the journal Nature, researchers report identifying the corresponding receptor protein on the egg: They named it “Juno.” A team of four from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Britain, led by Gavin Wright and Enrica Bianchi, made the discovery. Juno performs another crucial task: it blocks other sperm cells from joining to an egg once it has been fertilized.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/04/17/researchers-find-juno-a-key-to-fertility-discovery-could-help-with-ivf-and-contraception/?tid=hp_mm

Ghana – First IVF quadruplets delivered in Kumasi

The Trustcare Specialist Hospital and Fertility Centre in Kumasi on Friday cut a slice of medical history for itself, when it delivered a set of quadruplets through in-vitro fertilization. The babies, three males and a female, together with their 42-year old mother, are doing well. The pioneer assisted-reproductive technology centre in Kumasi, in a press release signed by Isaac Kofi Adu, clinical embryologist, said it had within the past three years delivered a number of multiple pregnancies. The release explained that to make IVF treatment affordable, the centre is collaborating with the Association of Childless Couples of Ghana (ACCOG), and “Walking Egg Organization” in Belgium, to bring low cost technology but effective IVF services to Ghana.

http://vibeghana.com/2014/04/28/first-ivf-quadruplets-delivered-in-kumasi/

Medical Ethics

Belgium – Citizens’ Initiative against embryonic stem cells EU can’t ignore

One of Us, a European citizens’ initiative, has collected 1.7 million signatures is against embryonic stem cell research from all 28 E.U. member states for a proposal that would block funding for research in which embryos are destroyed. Under E.U. rules, the European Commission must now consider turning the proposal into legislation. E.U. member states have different regulations in the area of embryonic stem cell research, ranging from very permissive, for example in Belgium, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, where creating embryos for research purposes is allowed, to very restrictive, as in Poland and Lithuania, where research with embryonic stem cells is illegal. The union does not sponsor research that is illegal in the country where it would take place.

http://news.sciencemag.org/europe/2014/04/pro-life–citizens-initiative-worries-e.u.-scientists?rss=1

UK – Alarm over care of the elderly

The Lancet has published an alarming editorial about the pressure on healthcare systems from an growing elderly population. The key issue is demographic as the proportion of people over 60 years will double from about 11{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} to 22{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} by 2050. In addition, Western nations such as Britain have significantly cut funding to elderly care in recent years and public funding for older people’s social care fell by a massive £1·2 billion or 15·4 {01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} between 2010 and 2014, even though it had been stagnant between 2005 and 2010. The authors are concerned particularly for middle to low income countries such as China, which face the same issues as the US and the UK, but with less funding to address it.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10928

India – Row over clinical trial as 254 Indian women die

The death of 254 Indian women in a 15-year US-funded clinical trial for a cervical cancer screening method has triggered a raging debate about its ethicality. It is a well established fact that any kind of cervical screening reduces the incidence of the cancer. Yet, almost 140,000 women in the control arm of the trial were not screened. After a complaint, the United States Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) determined that the women were not given adequate information to give informed consent. If, at any time during the past 15 years, the women in the unscreened control groups had been told the simple truth that cervical screening would lower their risk of death from cancer, they would have left the control groups and sought screening on their own, thereby nullifying a scientifically defective experimental design. The OHRP determined that it was thus difficult to presume that the studies are not compromised by the inadequate informed consent.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Row-over-clinical-trial-as-254-Indian-women-die/articleshow/34016785.cms

USA – bioethicists take Belgian child euthanasia to task

American bioethicists have criticised Belgium’s law permitting children with terminal illness to choose euthanasia. Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Art Caplan and colleagues argue that children do not have adults’ capacity for informed consent. “Children and adolescents lack the experiential knowledge and sense of self that adults often invoke, rightly or wrongly, at the end of their lives,” they argue. Furthermore, a developed nation like Belgium ought to have good enough palliative care so that no child will experience “constant and unbearable suffering”. The ethical way to achieve this goal should be expanded education and clinical guidance around the provision of aggressive palliative care.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10937

Pedophilia

USA – Child abuse costing the church billions of dollars

Almost $3 billion is what allegations of child sex abuse has cost the American church between 2004 and 2013. The data was released in the 11th annual report from the US Episcopal conference on progress in the implementation of the Charter for Protection of Children and Young People. The costs include the settlements, therapy and psychological care for victims and legal fees. The analysis conducted by StoneBridge Business Partners particularly looked at 127 diocese for the period from July 2012 to 30 June 2013. During this time, there were 857 victims of sexual abuse and more than 900 complaints against the church. However, not all cases had sufficient evidence to launch a lawsuit against the clergy accused of paedophilia.

http://www.west-info.eu/child-abuse-costing-the-church-billions-of-dollars/

UK – Downloading child abuse ‘manuals’ to be made illegal

Downloading manuals containing guidance on how to groom children for sexual abuse is to become a criminal offence, the government has said. The government must ensure police have the investigative capacity to infiltrate and disrupt the networks of offenders hidden online. Prime Minister David Cameron said “It’s completely unacceptable that there is a loophole in the law which allows pedophiles to write and distribute these disgusting documents.” I want to ensure we do everything we can to protect children – and that’s why I am making them illegal.”

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-27177040

Pornography

UK – New system can scan the internet for illegal images

Scientists have developed a new system that makes it possible to scan traffic on the internet for illegal photographs. The system can, for example, help trace child pornography on the internet without infringing on the privacy of internet users, said researchers at the University of Twente in The Netherlands. Internet service providers could use the tool to keep their network ‘clean’, they said. The police use a standard database to detect illegal photographs such as child pornography on equipment they seize, such as computers or USB sticks.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/New-system-can-scan-internet-for-illegal-images/articleshow/32784262.cms

Prostitution & Trafficking

USA – Oklahoma House passes three human trafficking bills

Three Senate bills aimed to combat human trafficking cleared the state House of Representatives this week. If the bills become law, those convicted of human trafficking in the future could find it much more difficult to live a normal life in Oklahoma once being released from prison. One of the three new bills would help victims who want suspects to pay them back financially. Another would require those convicted of the crime serve 85 percent of their time before being eligible for parole. The final bill would ensure convicts would have to register as sex offenders.

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Okla-House-passes-three-human-trafficking-bills/0br8lwZb60WiWOT6M5h1JA.cspx

USA – Amnesty International should not endorse legalizing prostitution

An estimated 16,000 girls and women in the Chicago area are involved in the sex trade, according to a 2002 study. The only way we can put an end to prostitution is by penalizing its purchase and Amnesty International is set to decide whether it should endorse a policy to legalize the purchase of sex. Supporters of the policy change allege that decriminalizing paying for sex is a solution to the harms associated with prostitution. They say decriminalization would protect the health and safety of prostitutes and ultimately would curtail the domestic and international sex trade. However, virtually every person bought for sex, boy, girl, teenager or adult, would not choose prostitution if they saw another way to survive.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04-04/opinion/ct-prostitution-sex-trafficking-legal-illegal-vote-20140404_1_prostitution-decriminalization-a

UK – Outlaw buying sex, says former Tory minister Caroline Spelman

The former Tory cabinet minister Caroline Spelman has called for the UK to consider criminalising the purchase of sex. She said she was shocked by estimates that thousands of prostitutes in the UK had been trafficked, and believed such sexual exploitation would have to be addressed through reducing demand. Demands for Britain to look again at changing prostitution laws come as France is passing legislation to emulate the Nordic model and the law is under review in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Finland and Canada.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/apr/21/outlaw-buying-sex-caroline-spelman-nordic-model-prostitution

Stem Cells & Cloning

No news today

Substance Abuse

USA –  Dagga: Debunking Pot Proponents’ Prison Myths

Dagga (marijuana) crusaders have waged an excellent campaign convincing people America’s prisons are overflowing with “nonviolent, petty” drug users costing millions in tax money. Pennsylvania State Senator Leach, a staunch advocate of legalizing marijuana, stated in 2013, “According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), 24,685 marijuana arrests were made in Pennsylvania in 2006 at a cost of $325.36 million to taxpayers”. But according to Rafael Lemaitre, the communications director of the ONDCP, the office “does not maintain arrest figures.” The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, whom however provide specific data, said there are fewer than 300 people sentenced to prison in Pennsylvania each year for marijuana, of which only about 5 are for possession of ‘small amounts’.

http://www.mainstreet.com/article/smart-spending/marijuana-and-punishment-debunking-pot-proponents-prison-myths

USA – Marijuana and tobacco, treated very differently by government

When it comes to tobacco and marijuana, public policies appear headed in contradictory directions. For years, candy cigarettes have been criticized as providing children a gateway to tobacco smoking leading to a federal ban in 2009. Yet in Colorado, the legalization of marijuana has produced a host of different candy products infused with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in pot. Dr. Andrew Monte, a medical toxicologist at the University of Colorado Medical School, said a poison control call occurs every few days involving a child ‘accidentally’ eating marijuana products. “The state of Colorado and the state of Washington are seeing significant, both social and enforcement, issues,” Ricky Adams, chief of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

http://www.gopusa.com/freshink/2014/04/22/marijuana-tobacco-treated-very-differently-by-the-government/?subscriber=1

USA – Christie: I Will ‘Never’ Legalize Weed in N.J.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie repeated his well-known opposition to legalizing marijuana in his state, and sharply criticized one that has done just that – Colorado. “To me, it’s just not the quality of life we want to have here in the state of New Jersey, and there’s no tax revenue that’s worth that.” Christie said on a public radio show. He vowed “never” to legalize the drug while in office because of its negative impact on people’s brains, citing a recent study in the Journal of Neuroscience released that found even smokers who used it once or twice experienced “significant abnormalities” in vital brain regions.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/21/christie-on-pot-colorado-law-not-the-quality-of-life-we-want/

USA – Recreational marijuana use can cause changes in brain

The size and shape of two brain regions involved in emotion and motivation may differ in young adults who smoke marijuana at least once a week, according to The Journal of Neuroscience. The study suggests that even light to moderate recreational marijuana use can cause changes in brain anatomy,” said Carl Lupica, PhD. The current study, Jodi Gilman, PhD, Anne Blood, PhD, and Hans Breiter, MD, of Northwestern University and Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School used magnetic resonance imaging to compare the brains of 18- to 25-year olds who reported smoking marijuana at least once per week with those with little to no history of marijuana use. 106 http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/lifestyle/2014/04/22/recreational-marijuana-use-can-cause-changes-in-brain/

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for LifeInternational

Abortion USA – Abortion insurance law taking effect in MichiganUSA – War on women when men force abortionUSA – Abortion restrictions pass 85-6 out of Louisiana House Alternative Medicine South Africa – Traditional Medicine Almost Kills Baby Euthanasia UK – Assisted suicide moves closer as UK Government allows free voteUK – Cameron comes out against assisted dyingUSA – Connecticut Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide Defeated in Committee HIV/AIDS No news today Homosexuality No news today IVF & Surrogacy Australia – Study finds IVF adults just as healthyUSA – Some Doctors Suggest Milder, Cheaper Form of IVFUK – Age limit for IVF treatment increased Medical Ethics USA – Rethinking informed consentUSA – Nation must debate “mitochondrial transfer”UK – Doctors call for revision of baby organ donation rulesUK – Stillborn babies incinerated to heat UK hospitals Pedophilia South Africa – Dad turns teen in for naked ‘selfies’USA – Police break up ring sharing indecent images of childrenUK – Mom, 21, slept with 8-year-old boyNetherlands – Advocate general wants pro-paedophilia group banned Pornography No news today Prostitution &Trafficking UK – Britain’s prostitution laws are a messCanada – Prostitution law consultations find little consensus among police Stem Cells & Cloning Japan – Doubts mount about new stem cell paper Substance Abuse USA – Marijuana’s health effects need more study, say expertsUSA – Rules require child-proof packaging, outlaws marijuana laced sweetsCanada – Medical marijuana users no longer allowed to grow their own potUSA – Marijuana may hurt the developing teen brain

Abortion

USA – Abortion insurance law taking effect in Michigan

Michigan residents who buy health coverage in the private marketplace will not have access to abortion coverage, even if a pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A new law prohibits insurance companies from covering abortion services unless customers purchase separate add-ons to their insurance plans ahead of time. The Abortion Insurance Opt-Out Act was passed in December by the Republican-controlled Legislature after a debate. Proponents say the law protects those who object to abortion from having any of their premiums used to cover the procedure for other customers in their group plans or within the health-care exchange. Opponents say the bill threatens women’s health by limiting access to a procedure that is legal and constitutionally protected.

http://www.freep.com/article/20140312/NEWS06/303120050/Abortion-insurance-law-taking-effect-Michigan

USA – War on women when men force abortion

A Texas organization has been uncovering the dark side of the nation’s abortion industry by exposing what happens when men use the procedure to escape responsibilities. Mark Crutcher, the founder and president of Life Dynamics, noted that the early feminist leaders in America were openly opposed to the legalization of abortion. “They understood that legalized abortion has nothing to do with women’s equality,” he said. “Women don’t need surgery to be equal to men. What abortion is, is a safety net for sexually predatory and sexually irresponsible males.”

http://www.wnd.com/2014/03/war-on-women-when-men-force-abortion/#KLJHF45EPeIfk8us.99

USA – Abortion restrictions pass 85-6 out of Louisiana House

The Louisiana House of Representatives passed a bill 85-6 that would restrict access to abortion services. The legislation now heads to the Louisiana Senate. Abortion rights advocates have said the proposal would immediately close three of Louisiana’s five abortion clinics. Sponsored by Rep. Katrina Jackson,  the legislation would require physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the facility where the procedures take place. It also imposes a 24-hour waiting period on abortion-inducing medication as surgical abortions. Some doctors in private practice would also have to register with the state as an abortion providers and their name, location and status as an abortion provider would be public information.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/03/louisiana_house_abortion_vote.htm

Alternative Medicine

South Africa – Traditional Medicine Almost Kills Baby

When it comes to traditional medicine, some parents are torn between the advice of nurses and that of their own parents. For a Mpumalanga mother, this battle of wills almost cost her baby’s life. When Lerato was born, nurses told Ngobeni to bring Lerato back within a week for a check up, but Ngobeni’s mother advised against it. The next day Lerato got diarrhea, but her mother told her not to worry because that was normal. Finally the baby was taken to the nearest hospital. Nurse Ntombi Zungu said young mothers often find themselves in situations similar to Ngobeni’s. “Some young mothers sometimes feel disempowered as parents because their own parents have so much power over them.”

http://allafrica.com/stories/201404021052.html

Euthanasia

UK – Assisted suicide moves closer as UK Government allows free vote

Although opinion in the Commons is divided, and doctors, disability campaigners and Churches have warned that a relaxation in the law could leave vulnerable people at risk and damage the doctor-patient relationship, the Government still says it will allow MPs a free vote on Lord Falconer’s Bill introducing assisted suicide, bringing legislation a significant step closer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10685362/Assisted-suicide-moves-closer-as-Government-allows-free-vote.html

UK – Cameron comes out against assisted dying

Prime Minister David Cameron has expressed his opposition to assisted suicide in advance of the issue being debated in Parliament, arguing that people who are terminally ill will feel unfairly pressurized into ending their lives. Mr Cameron has opposed assisted dying before but was speaking out because the private members’ bill drawn up by Lord (Charles) Falconer of is due to be debated in the House of Lords. The bill would allow terminally ill patients to end their lives if two doctors confirm they are unlikely to live more than six months. But opponents to the move, including Lord Carlile and Baroness Butler-Sloss say safeguards in the bill are inadequate.

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/616/0/cameron-comes-out-against-assisted-dying-which-could-unfairly-pressurise-the-terminally-ill-

USA – Connecticut Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide Defeated in Committee

The Family Institute of Connecticut announced that the Connecticut Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide was defeated for the second year in a row. “Despite our decisive victory today, the war is not over. Indeed, it may continue for several years.” Peter Wolfgang, the president of Family Institute of Connecticut said.

http://www.lifenews.com/2014/03/28/connecticut-bill-to-legalize-assisted-suicide-defeated-in-committee/

HIV/AIDS & STI’s

No news today

Homosexuality

No news today

IVF &Surrogacy

Australia – Study finds IVF adults just as healthy

Young adults conceived through IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have grown up to be as healthy as those conceived naturally according to a recent study. The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute led study found ART children had a higher rate of hospitalisation, asthma and hay fever. While this was attributed to ART parents worrying more about their children’s health, researchers still said it should warrant more investigation. The study of 656 mothers of children aged 18 to 29 found no evidence of increased rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in ART children.

http://www.theleader.com.au/story/2145419/study-finds-ivf-adults-just-as-healthy/?cs=1255

USA – Some Doctors Suggest Milder, Cheaper Form of IVF

Some fertility clinics are offering a gentler version of IVF that uses fewer, milder drugs and requires less frequent medical visits. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine says pregnancy rates from minimal-stimulation IVF are likely to be lower than traditional IVF, defined as a protocol of milder doses of injectable drugs, oral drugs or a combination that aims for the collection of two to seven eggs. Proponents say it is a good option for patients with a strong response to fertility drugs and are at high risk of ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome, a dangerous complication. It is also appropriate for women who do not want to be faced with a decision about what to do with embryos they don’t use.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304554004579423553575221452

UK – Age limit for IVF treatment increased to 39

The NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) introduced changes to the age limits that women living in Dorset can qualify for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The former age range for the service is between 30 and 35 – but  now a new upper age limit of 39 has been introduced. Treatment must be completed by the woman’s 40th birthday. During the period of the interim policy the CCG governing body will be consulting on its proposal to reduce the number of cycles available from two to one. One cycle of treatment would consist of one fresh cycle and one frozen cycle, where embryos have been stored during the fresh cycle.

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11123768.Age_limit_for_IVF_treatment_increased_to_39/

Medical Ethics

USA – Rethinking informed consent

Since the Belmont Report in 1978 researchers have applied the principle of informed consent to their daily work. Now the authors of that report are questioning their conclusions. In the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr Tom Beauchamp outlines a new set of principles providing for the waiving of informed consent in situations that fall below “a threshold of negative effect”. The authors argue where research has “no or only minor effects on important patient interests” it is permissible to proceed without explicit consent. “It may even be acceptable for an ethics-oversight panel to permit the study to proceed with broad notification to the community of the system, without requiring that individual patients be told about the randomization.”

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10880

USA – Nation must debate “mitochondrial transfer”

President emeritus of the Hastings Centre for Bioethics Thomas H. Murray has written a forceful editorial in Science calling for “a nationwide conversation about current and emerging reproductive technologies”. His article focused mainly on the question of mitochondrial manipulation as the FDA is yet to decide whether it will authorize clinical trials of mitochondrial manipulation technologies. “Discussion of the ethics of mitochondrial manipulation cannot be postponed indefinitely”, Murray wrote. “This is a task for the US Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues to pursue, given that its mission is to ensure that scientific research, health care delivery, and technological innovation are conducted in a socially and ethically responsible manner.”

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10894

UK – Doctors call for revision of baby organ donation rules

In the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood pediatricians want the government to allow “brain-dead” newborns to donate organs. “For an infant awaiting a heart transplant, only a small-sized infant organ can be used …,” researchers said. Currently, using organs from brain-dead children aged between 37 weeks and two months is banned. Donation after cardiac death is permitted, but for practical reasons this option is seldom used. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Guidelines say it is “rarely possible to confirm death using neurological criteria in infants under two months of age”. Since only organs from dead donors can be used ethically, UK pediatricians have been told not to transplant them. However, it is possible in Australia and the US.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10902

UK – Stillborn babies incinerated to heat UK hospitals

Ten divisions of the National Health Service have admitted that they have been burning the remains of aborted and miscarried babies as heating fuel with medical rubbish, and two actually used the bodies in “waste-to-energy” plants to heat the hospitals. At least 15,500 foetal remains have been incinerated over the past two years and at one of Britain’s best hospitals in Cambridge, mothers were told their babies had been ‘cremated.’ After a channel 4 program aired earlier this week, the Department of Health immediately banned the practice and health minister, Dr Dan Poulter declared that it was ‘totally unacceptable.’ Sands, a British charity which deals with stillbirth and neonatal deaths, said that cremation is the best policy, never incineration.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10909

Pedophilia

South Africa – Dad turns teen in for naked ‘selfies’

 A 17-year-old girl has been sentenced for manufacturing and distributing child pornography, after her father turned her in for sending a man, aged 42, naked “selfies”. The Grade 10 student, who is pregnant, was given a three-year suspended prison sentence after entering a plea agreement at the Welkom Magistrate’s Court last month. The newspaper reported that in February, the father found explicit messages and photographs on her phone and turned them over to the police. She had apparently been corresponding with the 42-year-old and two teenage boys. The middle-aged man who received the photographs was convicted of child sexual grooming and also received a three-year suspended sentence.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/dad-turns-teen-in-for-naked-selfies-1.1662051#.Uya5d9jMQkE

USA – Police break up ring sharing indecent images of children

Officials in the US have dismantled a huge international ring sharing indecent images of children – one of the largest such operations ever uncovered, American authorities say. They say that 14 men running a secret, members-only website have been arrested. About 250 children, mostly boys from the US, appeared on the site. The website had more than 27,000 subscribers, many of whom have been charged in individual cases. The 14 men arrested have been charged with conspiracy to operate a child exploitation enterprise. At the time it was dismantled, the illegal website contained more than 2,000 shared webcam-captured videos of mostly juvenile boys, officials say.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26639092

UK – Mom, 21, slept with 8-year-old boy

A 21-year-old UK woman has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of having a long-term sexual relationship with a child. She had been 16 when she began sleeping with the boy who was eight years old at the time. And was caught when the boy began bragging about the affair; he claims they slept together up to 50 times. The woman was found to be highly immature, and sentenced only to two years, of which she’ll only serve 12 months. She’ll  also be placed on the sexual offender’s registry for ten years and will denied contact with children under the age of 16.

http://www.parent24.com/School_7-12/health_safety/Mom-21-slept-with-8-year-old-boy-50-times-20140319

Netherlands – Advocate general recommends banning pro-paedophilia group

The advocate general has recommended the Supreme Court ban the paedophile association Stichting Martijn, signalling the end of a legal battle which has been going on since 2011. The Martijn Foundation campaigns for the legalisation of sexual contact between adults and children and has been the subject of a convoluted legal battle for years. The advocate general, Vino Timmerman, said he recognised his position conflicts with freedom of expression and freedom of association rules. However, the protection of children should weigh more heavily, Timmerman said. This position is also key in European and international law. The advocate general’s recommendations are usually accepted by the Supreme Court.

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2014/03/advocate_general_recommends_ba.php#sthash.T9nkwSeE.dpuf

Pornography

No news today

Prostitution & Trafficking

UK – Britain’s prostitution laws are a mess

If the government follows the recommendations of a report released on March 3rd by the all-party Parliamentary group on prostitution, prostitutes customers would become lawbreakers. The politicians’ report calls for an overhaul of the muddled laws that govern prostitution in England and Wales. The legislation does not protect vulnerable women, argues the group. It does not crimp demand and so sanctions the sexual exploitation of women by men and fails to recognize prostitution as a form of violence against women. The group proposes criminalizing the purchase of sex and toughening laws on pimping and underage prostitution.

.http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21598672-britains-prostitution-laws-are-mess-proposed-alternatives-are-worse-caveat-emptor

Canada – Prostitution law consultations find little consensus among police

The Calgary police Chief wants to outlaw prostitution altogether. “You can create a series of laws where you come down hard on the user and look at the provider as a victim.” He says officers need the law as a tool to give them access to victimized men and women who were coerced into sex work. “Then you have courses of action to move that person towards treatment or counseling or getting them out of that lifestyle.”

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/prostitution-law-consultations-find-little-consensus-among-police-1.2595728

Stem Cells & Cloning

Japan – Doubts mount about new stem cell paper

The world’s leading science journal, Nature, may end up with egg on its face as complaints mount about a recent paper on a radical new method of creating pluripotent stem cells. Stem cell scientist Teruhiko Wakayama, has called for the paper to be retracted after problems surfaced with the images, and allegations of plagiarism. He now says that he is not sure that the cells given to him were really created by the technique. “Overall there are now just too many uncertainties about it. I think we have to wait for some confirmation.” The original paper about “stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency” (STAP) cells was published in Nature in January.

http://www.bioedge.org/index.php/bioethics/bioethics_article/10885

Substance Abuse

USA – Marijuana’s health effects need more study, say experts

Marijuana use rates have risen by 30 percent from 2006 to 2010, according to a new study from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and RAND Drug Policy Research Center. What is known is that marijuana has many effects on health, but not all of them are therapeutic. Marijuana increases heart rate and blood pressure when it hits the heart, which may be problematic for some with preexisting conditions. Many receptors and found in different parts of the brain, affecting areas for pleasure and cognition, but also raising risk for addiction because of a flood of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is linked to pleasure.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marijuanas-health-effects-need-more-study-say-experts/

USA – Rules require child-proof packaging, outlaws marijuana laced sweets

In the latest wake of problems with the so-called medical marijuana laws the Oregon Health Authority issued draft rules aimed at keeping marijuana-infused foods and candies from children. They essentially ban many marijuana laced sweets and cookies popular with patients and is likely to cause an uproar. Oregon’s draft rules state that a dispensary may not transfer to patients marijuana-infused products “manufactured in a form that resembles cake-like products, cookies, candy, or gum, or that otherwise may be attractive to minors because of its shape, color, or taste.” The rules also require child-proof and opaque packaging so the product isn’t visible from the outside. Cartoon pictures etc are also not allowed.

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/03/medical_marijuana_in_oregon_ne.html

Canada – Medical marijuana users no longer allowed to grow their own pot

Starting April 1st, Canada’s 40,000 so-called medical marijuana patients wont be allowed to grow their own pot anymore but rather buy them from a licensed dealer. In 2001, the Medical Marijuana Access Program allowed “grow your own” production in private homes and small-scale distribution. But in 2012, then-federal Health Minister Leona Agglukkaq said the number of medical marijuana users was growing “exponentially” and was threatening public safety. So the rules were changed. About 450 companies have applied for licenses, but only a dozen have them. The federal government will also require medical “marijuana” users to submit a form declaring they’ve stopped production and have destroyed any plants, seeds or dried product by April 30th.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/20/medical-marijuana-users-no-longer-allowed-to-grow-their-

USA – Marijuana may hurt the developing teen brain In childhood our brain is larger, says Krista Lisdahl, director of the brain imaging and neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. During the teenage years, our brain is getting rid of those connections that weren’t really used, and it prunes back. Researchers from Duke University analyzed data gathered over many years from people living in New Zealand. They compared IQs in childhood through age 38 among marijuana users and nonusers. “We found that people who began using marijuana in their teenage years and continued to use marijuana for many years lost about eight IQ points from childhood to adulthood”, says study author Madeline Meier, now a professor at Arizona State University, “whereas those who never used marijuana never lost IQ points.”

http://www.mprnews.org/story/npr/282631913?from=health

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for LifeInternational