CGS : The United Kingdom

About United Kingdom Policies & Human Biotechnology

The United Kingdom's Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA), established in 1991, is often considered a model for regulating and overseeing human biotechnologies. It licenses and monitors all research involving human embryos, and all facilities offering in vitro fertilization or storage of eggs, sperm, or embryos. UK law does not permit certain activities involving human embryos.

The HFEA's 21 members are appointed by UK Health Ministers; at least half of them are required to be neither doctors nor scientists involved in human embryo research or infertility treatment.

To grant a research license, the HFEA must be satisfied that the use of human embryos is "necessary or desirable" for an enumerated purpose. The HFEA inspects licensed clinics annually; produces a Code of Practice that guides clinics on proper conduct; keeps a formal registry for donors, treatments, and children born; and conducts public consultations on controversial applications.

Patenting Parthenotes: High Court Asks if Parthenotes are 'Human Embryos' Under the Biotech Directiveby Antony Blackburn-Starza, BioNewsApril 29th, 2013The UK's High Court has asked the Court of Justice of the European Union to clarify if human parthenotes fall under the definition of a human embryo for the purposes of patentability.

Your Genetic Make Up to be Stored, Without Consent, for Profit TechEyeApril 25th, 2013Genetic data is massively revealing. It can be used to identify relatives, and to assess the potential for passing recessive genetic disorders on to children.

“World's First GM Babies Born”: 12-Year-Old Article Continues to Cause Confusionby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesApril 25th, 2013An undated Daily Mail article that is actually over a decade old continues to spread misinformation about human genetic modification.

The Baby Blueprint [VIDEO][With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]Al Jazeera EnglishApril 22nd, 2013Would you choose your child's genetic potential? Live debate with Marcy Darnovsky, Stuart Newman, Julian Savulescu, and Nita Farahany.

Lord Robert Winston Warning Over Child ‘Eugenics’ by Lyndsay Buckland, ScotsmanApril 11th, 2013A leading fertility expert warns that reproductive technologies could enable a form of eugenics with serious implications for the individuals involved and society in general.

The Right to Speak Out[Editorial]NatureApril 9th, 2013Controversy over the results touted by a genetic-ancestry firm has highlighted the need for reform of the United Kingdom’s restrictive libel law.

Three-Parent Children in UK Possible After HFEA Report[Quotes the Center for Genetics and Society]by Michael Cook, BioEdgeApril 6th, 2013The UK fertility regulator's report to the government misrepresented its own findings about public opinion.

New gene therapy births 'designer baby' fearsby Gavin O'Toole, Al Jazeera (English)April 3rd, 2013Critics say the move would be the first step towards the creation of "designer babies" and herald a new era of "consumer eugenics."

New Technology Can Make It So 1 Baby Has 3 Parents[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]CBS New YorkMarch 29th, 2013“People have characterized this as sliding down a slippery slope. This one actually throws us off a cliff."

UK May Be Close To Approving Nuclear Transfer Technique for IVF[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by John Farrell, ForbesMarch 28th, 2013The conception of children who share the genes of three parents could be one step closer to reality.

Scientists Unravel Genetic Causes of Prostate, Breast and Ovarian Cancerby Ian Sample, The Guardian March 27th, 2013A national screening programme for prostate cancer could be introduced by the NHS following an international effort by more than 1,000 scientists to unravel the genetic causes of prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.

Broad Public Support for "3-Parent Babies" and Crossing the Human Germline? Not What the Data Sayby Jessica Cussins & Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 21st, 2013The UK regulatory agency’s summary of its public consultation on mitochondria replacement highlights "broad public support" for a procedure that would cross a crucial ethical and policy line. But that support is not actually demonstrated in its data.

Alarm over genetic control of embryos[Letter to the editor]The Times [UK]March 20th, 2013If the proposed procedures are allowed, the reconstructed egg or embryo will have an altered, and inheritable, genetic composition.

HealthWatch: Britain Considers Allowing Babies From 3 Parents [Video][With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Kim Mulvihill, CBS San FranciscoMarch 20th, 2013Britain's fertility regulator says it has found broad public support for in vitro fertilization techniques that allow babies to be created with DNA from three people for couples at risk of passing on potentially fatal genetic diseases.

Three-Person IVF Moves Closer in UKby James Gallagher, BBC NewsMarch 20th, 2013The UK has moved closer to becoming the first country to allow the creation of babies from three people.

Eugenics Fear Over Gene Modification[Letter to the Editor]by David King et al., The GuardianMarch 15th, 2013The benefits of mitochondrial replacement are heavily outweighed by the risks to the child and to society.

Experiments with Inheritable Genetic Modificationby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMarch 13th, 2013A developmental biologist looks carefully at research on mitochondria replacement that would be an experimental form of human inheritable genetic modification.

If Your Dog is About to Die, Why Not Clone It?by Leo Hickman, GuardianMarch 11th, 2013A researcher in South Korea claims he can clone your pet. All he needs is some tissue from the animal and $100,000.

GM Babies?by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesMarch 5th, 2013A debate about genetically engineered babies is hijacked by slick rhetoric.

To Claim Someone has 'Viking Ancestors' is no Better than Astrologyby Mark Thomas, The Guardian February 25th, 2013The truth about direct-to-consumer ancestry tests is that there is little scientific substance to most of them and they are better thought of as genetic astrology.

Parents of Down's Syndrome Woman, 21, Can NOT Have her Sterilised, Rules Judge by Daniel Miller, Daily MailFebruary 16th, 2013In a landmark ruling in London, the sterilization of a woman with Down's syndrome at her parents' request was ruled 'disproportionate' and in violation of her human rights.

Sale of Personal Gene Data Condemned as 'Unethical and Dangerous'by Jamie Doward, The Guardian February 16th, 2013Critics say companies could acquire personal information that would identify National Health Service patients without their consent.

Latest Figures on Fertility Treatment, Birth Rate and Multiple Births are Releasedby Matt Thomas, BioNewsFebruary 11th, 2013Figures released by the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority reveal the number of IVF cycles performed each year has continued to rise while the multiple pregnancy and birth rate has declined and the live birth rate per cycle has remained steady.

Egg Sharing Cuts Bristol's IVF Waiting Listby Polly March, BBC NewsJanuary 12th, 2013A new "egg sharing" programme and an increase in the amount egg donors are compensated have significantly cut waiting times for couples needing donor eggs in the UK. At what cost?

UK Government's Enthusiasm for GM Not Matched in Developing Nationsby John Vidal, The Guardian January 4th, 2013Across the world, countries are turning their backs on GM crops; perhaps the coalition in the UK could learn something from them.

1.7 Million Human Embryos Created for IVF Thrown Awayby Andrew Hough, The TelegraphDecember 31st, 2012Official statistics show that almost half of embryos used to help a women conceive through in vitro fertilisation were thrown away during or after the process.

Exclusive: Rise in Number of Couples Seeking 'Wombs for Hire' Abroad by Jeremy Laurance, The IndependentDecember 28th, 2012The number of British couples formally registering children born to foreign surrogates has nearly trebled in five years, raising concerns that poor women in developing countries are being exploited by rich Westerners.

A DNA Database in the NHS: The End of Privacy?by Helen Wallace, Public Service EuropeDecember 12th, 2012Governments, police, journalists, employers, insurers and even nosy neighbours would inevitably get access to personal information about medical conditions and non-paternity if a DNA database is built in the National Health Service.

Plans for NHS Database of Patients' DNA Angers Privacy Campaignersby Jamie Doward, The Guardian (UK)December 8th, 2012"This Big Brother project will allow every individual and their relatives to be identified and tracked."

Rights to Maternity Leave Granted to Parents Through Surrogacyby Sarah Guy, BioNewsNovember 26th, 2012The right to maternity leave in the UK will be extended to parents of children born through surrogacy, under proposed changes to rules on parental leave recently announced by the Government.

Fertility Treatment Waiting Times Halve After Increased Payments to Donorsby Rebecca Smith, The Telegraph (UK)November 26th, 2012An increase in payments for women's eggs has halved the waiting time for fertility treatment in the UK.

Mitochondria Replacement Would Forever Alter the Human Germline. Do You Want a Say? by Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesNovember 15th, 2012The Center for Genetics and Society has sent a letter strongly recommending against changing the United Kingdom law that – like those in dozens of other countries – prohibits procedures that would alter the genes we pass on to our children.

Heat Monitor's Fertile Ground for Would-be Parentsby Amy Wilson, Telegraph [UK]November 13th, 2012Scientists eye the US market after their device to help couples have a baby, DuoFertility, is a success in Britain.

Genetic Profiteering: Scandal of Firm 'Hiding Vital Breast Cancer Data' by Steve Connor, The IndependentNovember 1st, 2012Myriad Genetics is accused of deliberately withholding data that could help other scientists to understand cancer genetics, on the grounds that the information is commercially sensitive.

Human Genetic Modification Experiment in Oregon Shows Promise, Risks, Experts Say[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Nick Budnick, The OregonianOctober 24th, 2012Researchers have replaced unfertilized eggs' mitochondrial DNA, raising concerns about human germline modifications.

Proposed New Gene Manipulation Technique in IVF: Is it Safe? Needed? A Precedent to Designer Babies?by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 2nd, 2012Is a new “3-parent baby” fertility technique a way to avoid terrible disease, or a dangerous form of human experimentation?

Man accused of rape was innocent victim of DNA sample mistakeby Wesley Johnson, The Independent [UK]October 1st, 2012The contamination was the result of human error, and the procedures themselves were not adequate. Many laboratories fall short of accepted standards.

Thousands of ex-offenders targeted in drive to add to DNA databaseby Sandra Laville, The GuardianSeptember 27th, 2012The profiles of thousands of innocent people who have been arrested but not convicted of any crimes remain in the UK's police DNA database.

How To Buy a Daughter: Choosing the sex of your baby has become a multimillion-dollar industry[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Jasmeet Sidhu, SlateSeptember 14th, 2012The US is one of the few countries that allows preimplantation genetic diagnosis for prenatal sex selection, which could have negative consequences for parents and children alike.

DNA Test Jailed Innocent Man for Murderby Hannah Barnes, BBC NewsAugust 31st, 2012Scientists, lawyers and politicians have raised concerns over the quality of forensic evidence testing - is the criminal justice system too reliant on lab tests without seeing their limitations?

British Couples Flying to US For Banned Baby Sex Selectionby Stephen Adams, Telegraph [UK]August 28th, 2012Dozens of couples are flying to the US every year to choose the sex of their babies, a practice banned in Britain three years ago.

Madison Heights Woman Recalls Forced Sterilization at Training Centerby Ray Reed, The News and AdvanceAugust 18th, 2012In 1959, the state of Virginia sterilized Sarah Pack Wiley, having deemed her mentally deficient and wanting to prevent her from having children.

Euroscience Open Forum 2012: DNA Gene Testing 'Will Screen Out Lovers'by Telegraph Reporters, The TelegraphJuly 13th, 2012A British professor has suggested that couples will soon be able to choose their life partner solely based on the compatibility of their genes instead of through love.

European Scientists on Direct-to-Consumer Gene Tests: Thumbs Downby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitcal TimesJuly 13th, 2012Two scientific advisory groups warn that direct-to-consumer gene testing “has little clinical value” and the “potential to be harmful.”

Womb Transplants Could Be a Reality in Britain Within Two Years: Surgeonby Rebecca Smith, TelegraphJuly 12th, 2012Some doctors say womb transplants would be a more 'ethical solution' to infertility than seeking a surrogate.

One of Five Million: Contemplating Fertility Treatment and Embryo Selectionby Jessica Cussins, Biopolitical TimesJuly 12th, 2012Five million people have been born using in vitro fertilization. Though the technology has become safer and less expensive, it warrants attention because of the open door it provides for embryo selection.

Government Launches Consultation on Future of UK Human Fertilisation and Tissue Regulatorsby Ayesha Ahmad, BioNewsJuly 2nd, 2012The UK Government has launched a consultation on the future of the agency that regulates assisted reproduction.

Nuffield Council Gives Green Light to the Prevention of Inherited Mitochondrial Diseaseby Antony Blackburn-Starza, BioNewsJune 12th, 2012The UK-based Nuffield Council on Bioethics has declared that the benefits of new techniques which aim to prevent the transmission of faulty mtDNA from mother to child outweigh any risks.

Human Genetics Commission Publish Final Reportby Rebecca Hill, BioNewsJune 7th, 2012The Human Genetics Commission has published its final report, which marks the end of its 12 years as an advisory body to the Government.

Revealed: How More and More Britons are Paying Indian Women to Become Surrogate Mothersby Shekhar Bhatia, The Telegraph (UK)May 26th, 2012The sheer scale of the “baby factory” phenomenon is now causing concern with the Indian government. There are up to 1,000 unregulated clinics, comprising an industry worth as much as £1.5 billion a year.

Artificial DNA Presents Real Dangersby Daniel Sharp, Biopolitical TimesMay 2nd, 2012The creation of “artificial DNA” has generated substantial media buzz. The untold story behind the hype is about the new risks synthetic biology presents.

Tens of Thousands of Children Have Their DNA Stored by Police, Even if They are Not Charged With Any Crime by Matt Blake, Daily Mail (UK)April 27th, 2012Some police forces are collecting DNA from children as young as ten. Campaigners brand the practice 'bonkers.'

Anonymous DNA? No, It's Notby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 19th, 2012An article in Nature Genetics essentially says that keeping aggregated DNA data anonymous is impossible, which raises important questions about privacy and the conduct of research.

UK Aid Helps to Fund Forced Sterilisation of India's Poorby Gethin Chamberlain, GuardianApril 14th, 2012Money from the Department for International Development has helped pay for a controversial program that has led to miscarriages and even deaths after botched operations.

British Man 'Fathered 600 Children' at Own Fertility Clinicby Rebecca Smith, TelegraphApril 8th, 2012Research by two men conceived at a London-based fertility clinic suggests that the Austrian biologist who founded it provided two thirds of the donated sperm.

Scientists Rewrite Rules of Human Reproduction by Steve Connor, The IndependentApril 7th, 2012UK scientists claim that lab-grown egg cells could revolutionize fertility and banish menopause.

Egg and Sperm Donors: HFEA in Drive to Increase Numbersby Jane Hughes, BBC NewsApril 4th, 2012The UK fertility regulator is seeking to reduce the taboo around egg and sperm donation, but critics say egg donation is an invasive process, and women should be warned of the risks.

Calls for Inquiry Into 'Astonishing' DNA Error by Paul Peachey, The IndependentMarch 31st, 2012The second embarrassment admitted this month by Britain's biggest private forensic science laboratory.

Britain's Biobank Is Open for Businessby Angela Saini, ScienceMarch 29th, 2012As the UK Biobank opens for business with samples and health data from half a million people, GeneWatch UK and others maintain that genetic databases are white elephants with few scientific benefits.

New Thriller about Eugenics, “the Dirty Little Secret of the Anglo-American Intellectual Elite”by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMarch 15th, 2012How should we understand the attraction of eugenics for liberals and leftists in the early twentieth century?

The Case Against DNAby William Langley, The TelegraphMarch 6th, 2012Genetic profiling was once hailed as a magical tool to catch criminals. So why is it now in danger of being discredited?

Company Unveils DNA Sequencing Device Meant to Be Portable, Disposable and Cheapby Andrew Pollack, New York TimesFebruary 18th, 2012A British startup is commercializing a USB-sized disposable DNA sequencing machine.

IVF Clinics Told to Cut Multiple Births to 10%BBCFebruary 9th, 2012IVF clinics have been told that no more than 10% of births should be twins or triplets by regulators.

Treatment for Blood Disease Is Gene Therapy Landmarkby Nicholas Wade, New York TimesDecember 10th, 2011Hemophilia B is the first well-known disease to appear treatable by gene therapy, a technique with a 20-year record of almost unbroken failure.

Surrogacy Children Caught in Legal Limboby Carl O'Brien, Irish TimesNovember 19th, 2011Children born through surrogacy to Irish couples abroad risk getting caught in legal limbo, left either stateless or unable to get an Irish passport.

UK Supreme Court Upholds Gene Patentby Martin Turner, BioNewsNovember 14th, 2011In what appears to be the end of a long-running legal saga, the UK's Supreme Court found in favor of a patent for a gene and the protein sequence it encodes.

HFEA Triples the Going Rate for Women’s Eggs in UK by Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesOctober 27th, 2011The UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority set new compensation rates for sperm and egg providers that are drastically higher than previously allowed.

What price parenthood?by Jeremy Laurance, The IndependentOctober 20th, 2011UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority tripled the amount that women can be paid from egg donation to £750 per cycle.

EU court: No patents for some stem cell techniquesby Maria Cheng, Bloomberg BusinessweekOctober 18th, 2011The European Union's top court ruled Tuesday that scientists cannot patent stem cell techniques that use human embryos.

More on Cash for Eggsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 13th, 2011The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has issued a report about the provision of human bodily material for medicine and for research, including the issue of payment for gametes.

NHS ignores gene patents, experts sayby Clive Cookson, Financial TimesAugust 5th, 2011Genetic testing laboratories in the National Health Service are deliberately ignoring most patents on DNA.

Stark warning on fertility for older womenby Martin Beckford, Telegraph [UK]July 18th, 2011An academic journal article states that “IVF cannot compensate for delays in childbearing” because of the biological effects of ageing.

UK Drops DNA Tests For Refugees And Asylum Seekers[United Kingdom]National Public RadioJune 17th, 2011Britain has dropped a policy of using DNA tests to identify the nationality of African refugees and asylum seekers after criticism that there is no scientific merit to the practice.

Francis Galton: The man who drew up the 'ugly map' of Britainby Steve Jones, BBC NewsJune 16th, 2011One hundred years after the death of Francis Galton, the "father of eugenics," geneticists are increasingly baffled by the nature versus nurture debate. Does the question mean anything in the first place?

Birthday Honours: Test-tube baby pioneer knightedBBC NewsJune 10th, 2011IVF pioneer and Nobel prize winner Robert Edwards is among several leading health specialists to be knighted in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours.

Supreme Court: DNA database retention regs are unlawful[United Kingdom]by Lewis Page, The RegisterMay 18th, 2011However the court, noting that Parliament is considering the matter, has declined to specify any remedy for the situation.

ESHRE on Reproductive Tourism: Be Niceby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 26th, 2011The ESHRE "Good practice guide for cross-border reproductive care" is better on defining issues than solving problems.

The cost of fertility treatment 'tourism'[UK]BBC NewsApril 24th, 2011BBC Radio Scotland's The Investigation programme examines the increasing number of couples travelling abroad to seek infertility treatment.

Another Expansion of DNA Databases: South Korea Collects DNA from Labor Unionistsby Jillian Theil, Biopolitical TimesApril 14th, 2011South Korea is expanding its DNA database to include labor activists, which is proving controversial, while the US and other countries try to define the scope of their own.

Pre-pregnancy genetic screening backed by government advisers[United Kingdom]by James Meikle, The Guardian (UK)April 6th, 2011Tests will allow couples or individuals to assess their own risk of carrying genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis.

Scotland Yard "seduced for years by science and DNA"by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 29th, 2011Scotland Yard has admitted that basic errors, apparently arising from an over-reliance on forensic DNA, allowed a multiple burglar and rapist to stay free for ten years after he should have been caught, preying on at least another 146 victims.

Profits, Princes and Police DNA Databasesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMarch 16th, 2011A new investigation reveals disturbing commercial pressures to establish forensic DNA databases that may go well beyond legal limits in Europe and the US.

Palace denies 'shameful' database link[United Kingdom]by Matthew D'Arcy, publicservice.co.ukMarch 11th, 2011A deal signed under Tony Blair's government to help the United Arab Emirates build a DNA database of its entire population must be scrapped, human rights and genetics bodies have warned.

Police DNA database to be rolled back in Britainby Helen Wallace, Biopolitical Times guest contributor, Biopolitical Times guest contributorMarch 10th, 2011The British government will remove the genetic profiles of one million innocent people from the National DNA Database.

Courts 'will reject test secrecy'[The United Kingdom]by Paul Rincon, BBC News February 24th, 2011There is a serious mismatch between the government's aim to commercialise forensic science and the requirement of courts for openness, according to a top forensic expert.

Forced sterilization considered in a UK court by Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 17th, 2011A British special court delayed its ruling on whether or not a woman with “significant learning disabilities” should be forcibly sterilized.

Is forced sterilization ever OK?[Interview with CGS's Doug Pet]by Tracy Clark-Flory, SalonFebruary 16th, 2011A U.K. court considers the question in the case of a pregnant woman with significant learning disabilities.

Woman with learning difficulties could be forcibly sterilised[United Kingdom]by Tim Ross, The TelegraphFebruary 14th, 2011A woman with learning difficulties could be forcibly sterilised after she gives birth this week to stop her becoming pregnant again.

DNA profiles to be deleted from police database[United Kingdom]BBC NewsFebruary 11th, 2011Following a critical European Court of Human Rights ruling, the UK will make wide-ranging changes to its DNA forensics policies.

Remember the Raelians? They're back, pushing GM crops by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 31st, 2011The pro-cloning cult is lending its support to a UK government push for genetically modified food.

Feds to Pay States to Expand Forensic DNA Databases?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 26th, 2011A newly introduced bill would incentivize states to expand the collection of DNA from people arrested for certain crimes, before trial let alone conviction.

Will the UK legalize paying women for their eggs?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 19th, 2011The UK is starting a public consultation that is widely considered to be an attempt to evade the ban on paying for eggs and sperm.

Lisa Jardine starts egg donor compensation discussion[United Kingdom]by James Gallagher, BBC NewsJanuary 17th, 2011The UK's assisted reproduction regulatory agency has opened a public consultation about payments for sperm and eggs.

A quiet battle for life: IVF regulator aims to show its worth[United Kingdom]by Amelia Gentleman, The Guardian (UK)January 10th, 2011The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority was one of 192 quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations listed for abolition in October.

Grim News for Assisted Reproduction Regulatory Bodies in Canada and the UKby Jillian Theil, Biopolitical TimesDecember 1st, 2010The UK's HFEA is on the chopping block due to a new reform bill, while the chair of Canada's AHRAC is under scrutiny for questionable performance.

Fertility’s Mega-Mallby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesNovember 11th, 2010The “Fertility Show” in London literally displays how the ART industry is commidfying fertility.

Abolishing (and Replacing) the UK HFEAby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 28th, 2010The UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is to be abolished, as part of a massive governmental reorganization, and its responsibilities reassigned.

Government scraps 192 quangosby Polly Curtis, The GuardianOctober 20th, 2010The British government will close or substantially cut back hundreds of its agencies. Among those being scrapped is the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority, which oversees embryo research and fertility treatment.

Nuffield Council voices critical concerns on DTC gene testsby Doug Pet, Biopolitical TimesOctober 14th, 2010The Nuffield Council on Bioethics announces its report calling for comprehensive oversight and consumer protections around DTC gene tests.

Abolition of HFEA 'won't save anything'BBC NewsSeptember 24th, 2010The former chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, one of many publicly funded non-governmental advisory bodies in the UK that may be scrapped, analyses the gap the abolition of the body will leave.

International Survey of ART Releasedby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 23rd, 2010The International Federation of Fertility Societies has just released Surveillance 2010, the 5th edition of a triennial global survey of the assisted reproduction industry.

Time to Clean Up After Cloning Cattleby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesAugust 17th, 2010The USDA is still committed to promoting livestock cloning, but recent bad publicity makes it clear that the technology remains unpopular, unnecessary, and unethical.

"Weak and Meaningless" Guidelines for UK DTC Testsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesAugust 10th, 2010The UK Human Genetics Commission's "A Common Framework of Principles for direct-to-consumer genetic testing services" rejects government regulation and relies entirely on voluntary guidelines.

Cloned beef in food chain spreads alarm in Britainby Raphael G. Satter, Associated PressAugust 4th, 2010News that meat and milk from the offspring of cloned cattle — illegal to sell in without proper authorization — may have made their way into the food chain has set hands wringing in the UK.

UK embryo agency faces the axeby Daniel Cressey, NatureAugust 3rd, 2010Coalition government promises to abolish respected regulator in effort to cut back on quangos.

Top IVF doctor defends offering help for parents to pick babies' sexby Lisa Adams, Daily RecordJuly 29th, 2010MEET the doctor who is making Scots' dreams of designing the perfect baby come true.

Hundreds of IVF embryos donated 'without consent'by Rebecca Smith, The TelegraphJuly 22nd, 2010Hundreds of British couples could have children that are biologically theirs living with other parents around Europe or across the world without knowing, it has emerged.

A People's History of the Human Genomeby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJune 30th, 2010Genewatch UK marked the 10th anniversary of the Human Genome Project announcement by publishing an extraordinary History with important current policy implications.

Environmentalists Try to Ban Release of Synthetic Life Forms into The Wild [UK]by Steve Connor, The IndependentMay 24th, 2010Environmentalists last week sought to use the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to push for moratorium on release of synthetic life forms into the wild.

Incentives for Donation of Human Bodily Material?by Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesMay 10th, 2010The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has launched a public consultation about donating, or perhaps selling, human bodily material.

Watchdog under fire as number of IVF blunders soarsby Jo Macfarlane, The Daily MailApril 24th, 2010Reported mistakes at UK IVF clinics increased from 182 in 2007-08 to 334 in 2008-09, prompting calls for stronger enforcement of regulations.

The perils of cheap fertility drugs[Commentary]by Professor Bill Ledger, BBC NewsApril 21st, 2010Multiple births pose a health risk to both the mother and her babies, and put financial strain on health services.

British group weighs paying organ donorsAssociated PressApril 19th, 2010An influential British medical think tank is tackling the question of how far society should go to boost the number of organ and tissue donors, and is weighing a proposal to pay for body parts.

Pretending to be Toughby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 19th, 2010The English forensic DNA database has been dragged into the current UK election campaign with false accusations that supporting reform means being "soft" on crime.

Struggling to Control Fertility Tourismby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 17th, 2010Several countries are trying to figure out what to do about their citizens who go abroad for assisted reproduction procedures to evade local prohibitions (or just to save money).

Family become first to have DNA sequenced for non-medical reasonsby Mark Henderson, The Times (London)April 16th, 2010A family of four has become the first in which every member's genome has been sequenced for non-medical reasons, opening a debate about the ethics of analysing the DNA of minors.

The dangers of growing DNA databasesby Osagie K. Obasogie, Los Angeles TimesApril 9th, 2010The practice of retaining genetic samples from people arrested for a crime but not convicted is growing in the U.S. It has serious human rights implications.

Tories give up plan to block police retention of DNA samples - for now[United Kingdom]by Francis Elliott and Richard Ford , The TimesApril 8th, 2010The Conservative Party has abandoned attempts to block the retention of DNA samples, to pre-empt a Labour campaign leading up to elections.

Couples Flock to Eastern Europe for Cheaper IVFby Jo Willey and Nick Fagge, Daily ExpressApril 5th, 2010Thousands of childless older British women desperate to be mothers are flocking to eastern Europe for IVF

Couples who pay surrogate mothers could lose right to raise the child [United Kingdom]by The Guardian, Denis CampbellApril 5th, 2010High court could refuse recognition of parental rights to people who flout law by paying disproportionate fees to a surrogate mother overseas.

Sex selection: Getting the baby you wantby Amanda Mitchison, The GuardianApril 3rd, 2010The author meets couples traveling from the UK and heading abroad – where the sex selection business is booming.

Egg Raffles and Shadow Markets: The Fertility Industry Goes Global - and Skirts Lawsby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMarch 23rd, 2010The baby business has become a transnational enterprise. As in other aspects of global commerce, the lowest level of labor and consumer protection tends to prevail.

IVF doctors to raffle human egg [United Kingdom]by Lois Rogers, The TimesMarch 14th, 2010A fertility clinic in London, partnering with one in the US, is raffling a human egg to promote its new "baby profiling" service, which circumvents UK laws.

Commons committee rejects six-year DNA records plan [United Kingdom]by Alan Travis, The GuardianMarch 8th, 2010A report published in advance of a key parliamentary vote says DNA profiles of innocent people should be kept for no longer than three years.

Fertility drugs on sale in supermarketby Rebecca Smith, The TelegraphMarch 3rd, 2010UK women will soon be able to buy fertility drugs for IVF treatment at a supermarket.

UK Feminist Campaign: No2Eggsploitationby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesDecember 15th, 2009The UK's fertility watchdog agency is considering revoking the rule that limits payments to women who provide eggs for other people's IVF treatment. A network of British feminists objects.

Is it right to pay women for their eggs?by Clare Murphy, BBC NewsDecember 9th, 2009The UK fertility regulator is considering offering more generous compensation to egg and sperm donors

Are UK Cops Pushing People Into the Pool? by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesNovember 27th, 2009A new report from the UK suggests that police may be taking a new tactic: arresting people for the sole purpose of getting their DNA.

From schoolboy squabble to DNA database in one easy step - if you're blackby Fiona Hamilton, The Times (UK)November 24th, 2009A report by the UK Human Genetics Commission states that over three quarters of black men aged between 18 and 35 have their DNA profiles posted on the national database.

Police making arrests 'just to gather DNA samples' [United Kingdom]BBC newsNovember 24th, 2009UK police officers have made arrests just to get people on to the DNA database, a retired police superintendent has claimed.

Womb Transplants in Two Years?by Osagie Obasagie, Biopolitical TimesNovember 2nd, 2009A reality check greets British fertility researchers' claim that human womb transplants will be available in as little as two years.

The rise and fall of hybrids in the UKby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesOctober 20th, 2009The remarkable push by UK researchers for animal-human hybrid embryos is another strange tale of science politics and science policy.

Suspects' DNA data plans changed [UK]BBC NewsOctober 19th, 2009The UK government has dropped plans to give ministers wide powers on holding innocent people's DNA data on record.

Google Babyby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 9th, 2009An Israeli documentary offers an excruciatingly up-close look at India's booming global surrogacy industry.

Embryo research driven out of Britainby Steve Connor, The IndependentOctober 5th, 2009Scientists abandon plan to develop stem cells from human-animal hybrid embryos after funding dries up

Experts condemn asylum DNA tests BBC NewsSeptember 30th, 2009Leading scientists have criticised as "naive" and scientifically flawed DNA tests for asylum seekers to establish where they come from.

It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Fails a DNA Ancestry Testby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 30th, 2009Officials in the United Kingdom have launched the Human Provenance Pilot Project in an attempt to use genetic technologies to determine the nationality of asylum seekers.

Genotyping Childrenby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 29th, 2009Twice in the last few weeks Anne Wojcicki, of 23andMe, has strongly defended genotyping children, an increasingly controversial practice.

Human tissue can be taken for human-animal embryo experiments without consentby Laura Donnelly, The Telegraph (UK)September 12th, 2009Tens of thousands of samples of human tissue will be offered for use in controversial human/animal hybrid embryo research without the consent of the patients who donated them.

DNA pioneer calls for innocent to be taken off databaseby Ben Padley and Ellen Branagh, Press AssociationSeptember 10th, 2009The man who discovered DNA fingerprinting demanded the removal of innocent people from the United Kingdom database.

The Gray Areas at the Edges of Regulationby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesAugust 26th, 2009The UK experience with regulation continues to offer lessons, as sperm sellers are arrested, US companies promote sex selection to Britons, and an MP has his DNA removed from the police database.

US clinic offers British couples the chance to choose the sex of their childby Alice Fishburn, The Times (UK)August 22nd, 2009A new US clinic is appealing to British couples who want to pick the sex of their next child - a process that is banned in the United Kingdom.

Pay donors to end the shortage of IVF eggs, says UK watchdogby Mark Henderson, The Times (UK)July 27th, 2009A longstanding ban on selling sperm and eggs should be reconsidered to address a national shortage of donors, the head of the UK Government's fertility watchdog says.

IVF discounts beat cash rewards for research eggs New ScientistJuly 12th, 2009Discounts for IVF are helping lure women to provide eggs for cloning-based stem cell research

'Hundreds' going abroad for IVFby Emma Wilkinson, BBC NewsJune 29th, 2009Hundreds of UK couples travel to the continent every month for fertility treatment because they cannot get it at home.

Women 'unaware of risks of older motherhood' , report will warnby Kate Devlin, The TelegraphJune 13th, 2009Too few women are aware of the risks of becoming an older mother, a UK report will warn

Fertility clinics to recruit more lesbians as egg donors for IVFby Sophie Goodchild, Evening StandardJune 9th, 2009Fertility clinics are targeting lesbians as egg providers after research found higher IVF success rates than among heterosexual women

Surrogacy in India: The Sun Still Never Sets by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMay 29th, 2009Hundreds of Britons are hiring Indian women for contract pregnancies.

Investigation: Surrogate baby delivered every 48 hoursby Shekhar Bhatia, The Evening StandardMay 20th, 2009An Evening Standard investigation today exposes the boom in Indian surrogate babies for childless Western couples.

"What color is the baby?" Green?by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 13th, 2009Race has a remarkable impact on media coverage of accidental switches of gametes or embryos in fertility clinics.

Scientific American on Regulating Designer-baby Technologies by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMay 8th, 2009The editors of one of the most prestigious American popular science magazines call for greater oversight of the baby business.

Parents 'refused genetic tests'by Clare Murphy, BBC NewsApril 22nd, 2009Children are being born with severe genetic abnormalities because their parents are being refused funding to screen their embryos, those working in the field have claimed.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2008A Commentaryby David KingApril 15th, 2009The director of Human Genetics Alert offers an analysis of the UK's new law governing human genetic and reproductive technologies.

IVF watchdog to warn of birth defect risksby Aidan Jones, The GuardianMarch 21st, 2009Couples seeking IVF treatment are to be warned for the first time that their children have a higher risk of suffering birth defects, disability and life-threatening conditions.

Even before the octuplets, there was one-at-a-time-dot-org by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 27th, 2009The US assisted reproduction industry creates far more multiple births - with serious risk to the babies and mothers - than do clinics in countries with regulation and oversight.

Always falling behindby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 23rd, 2009A new report concludes that the US is still the world leader in stem cell research. Although likely true, the report should be viewed skeptically.

Baby Selected To Be Free From Breast Cancer Geneby Kate Devlin, TelegraphDecember 19th, 2008The first baby in Britain genetically screened to be free from a potentially deadly breast cancer gene will be born next week.

DNA Databases: Another Human Rights Violation in the U.S. Criminal Justice System? by Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesDecember 9th, 2008A ruling last week out of the European Court of Human Rights suggests that the US might be engaging in a human rights violation by collecting and retaining DNA profiles from arrestees never convicted of a crime.

European Court Rules Against British DNA Databaseby Sarah Lyall, The New York TimesDecember 4th, 2008The European Court of Human Rights ruled unanimously on Thursday that Britain's policy of gathering and storing the fingerprints and DNA of all criminal suspects was a violation of the human right to privacy.

UK Grants All the Scientists' Wishesby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesOctober 29th, 2008The bill overhauling the United Kingdom's oversight of assisted reproduction and embryo research granted researchers essentially all that they asked for, and then some.

IVF boom: British births top 10,000 in a year for the first timeby Jenny Hope, Daily MailOctober 9th, 2008The number of women having successful IVF treatment in the UK has topped 10,000 for the first time.

DNA Databases Run Amokby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesAugust 11th, 2008Genetic forensics may assist in solving crimes, but the too-common assumption of the technique's infallibility makes it prone to implementation errors - seen most recently in the UK and Australia.

[United Kingdom] Brown delays embryo billby Ross Lydall, The ScotsmanJuly 11th, 2008UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown postponed until autumn the vote on the bill to overhaul the oversight of assisted reproduction and embryo research.

Scientists Find Hybrid Embryos Easy to Make by Clive Cookson, Financial TimesJune 20th, 2008Scientists at Newcastle University in the UK have already produced almost 300 hybrid embryos, by inserting human DNA into cow eggs, since their controversial research project started in January.

IVF 30 Years On by Olga Craig, Telegraph [UK]June 16th, 2008When the first test-tube baby was born, it wasn't just the beginning of a new life but of a whole new approach to infertility. But what few women realise is that IVF treatment has become increasingly aggressive: so much so that there are very real risks involved.

Loophole in Embryology Bill could allow cloning without new legislationby Mark Henderson, The TimesJune 14th, 2008A loophole in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill could permit some reproductive cloning without the need for fresh primary legislation, the Government has admitted.

Cloning the Deadby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJune 3rd, 2008The UK is now proposing allowing scientists to try to create clonal embryos from the tissues of dead people, most of whom have not given their consent.

MPs Reject 'Saviour Sibling' BanBBC NewsMay 23rd, 2008A bid to stop parents having "saviour siblings" - babies selected to provide genetic material for seriously ill relatives - has been defeated by the United Kingdom Parliament.

UK's Prime Minister Brown vs. scientistsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 22nd, 2008Like so many writings advocating cloning-based stem cell research, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown's recent op ed drifts to distortion and hyperbole.

UK Scientists to Combine Human, Animal Embryos[Interviews CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]CNN Headline NewsMay 21st, 2008CNN's Glenn Beck on cybrids.

British Lawmakers Allow Hybrid Human-Animal Embryosby Kitty Donaldson and Mark Deen, BloombergMay 19th, 2008U.K. lawmakers voted to let scientists use stem cells derived from hybrid human-animal embryos in medical research.

Robert Winston on the UK's fertility billby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 13th, 2008Assisted reproduction pioneer Lord Robert Winston had some surprising words about the UK's controversial bill to overhaul its oversight of the reproduction industry and stem cell research.

Public interest group criticizes creation of first genetically modified human embryo Center for Genetics and Society calls for effective regulationMay 12th, 2008A small group of researchers decided on its own to overstep a key ethical boundary that has been observed around the world, with no discussion by the public, the media, or policy makers.

Scientist team creates first GM human embryoby Sarah-Kate Templeton, The Times (UK)May 11th, 2008Scientists from Cornell University in New York have created what is believed to be the first genetically modified (GM) human embryo.

Embryo research: a source of hope or horror?by Roger Highfield, The Telegraph (UK)May 9th, 2008As the United Kingdom Parliament prepares to debate a Bill revising the law on embryo research, Telegraph Science Editor Roger Highfield examines the complex issues at stake.

Unseen Rise of ‘Body Shopping’by Donna Dickenson, The Sunday TimesApril 20th, 2008Good science can’t be rushed, and the commercialisation of biotechnology needs proper examination. The problem is that parliament is too busy arguing about God to pay much attention.

Couples Could Win Right to Select Deaf Babyby Richard Gray, TelegraphApril 14th, 2008Deaf couples could be allowed to use embryo-screening technology and choose to have a deaf child, after an amendment to a controversial bill to overhaul the UK's oversight of ARTs.

Stem Cell Research May Not Find Wonder Curesby Lindsay Moss, The ScotsmanApril 7th, 2008Despite the years of study and debate about the potential, cell research therapies have been slow to materialize. Even the head of the UK National Stem Cell Network has now conceded that stem cell research may never deliver new treatments.

First British Human-Animal Hybrid Embryos Created by Scientistsby Alok Jha, The GuardianApril 2nd, 2008Cloning techniques using animal eggs produce 32-cell embryos.

Facts on the Groundby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 2nd, 2008One need not be that cynical to believe that British cloning researchers are trying to change the "facts on the ground" for the upcoming debate.

Embryo Bill is Plank of Gordon Brown's Agendaby Andrew Porter, TelegraphMarch 24th, 2008The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is a major plank of the Government's legislative programme. For Gordon Brown - to whom the Bill means so much - and Geoff Hoon, his chief whip, the prospect of a parliamentary defeat on its measures is unthinkable.

Child Abuse: UK Police Want Genes of 5-Year-Old "Future Criminals"by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMarch 18th, 2008A top UK police official wants to collect DNA samples from children as young as five.

Put young children on DNA list, urge policeby Mark Townsend and Anushka Asthana , The ObserverMarch 17th, 2008Primary school children should be eligible for the DNA database if they exhibit behaviour indicating they may become criminals in later life, according to Britain's most senior police forensics expert.

An Embryonic Disaster?The government’s new fertility bill is under fire on religious, moral and even scientific groundsby Isabel Oakeshott and Sarah-Kate Templeton, The Sunday TimesMarch 16th, 2008The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is designed to regulate just how far scientists can go when experimenting on embryos or embryo parts. It will also lay down new boundaries for fertility clinics, setting out the circumstances in which controversial techniques for screening embryos for defects, or gender, are allowed.

Who’s Biting Who?: Headlines on white surrogate for Asian coupleby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesMarch 10th, 2008Probably the oldest cliché in journalism is that the everyday ‘dog bites man story’ is not nearly as newsworthy as when the proverbial man who turns the tables and bites the dog. But when it comes to reproductive technologies, race is increasingly becoming the dividing line between journalists’ view of the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Is it wrong to select a deaf embryo?by Clare Murphy, BBC NewsMarch 10th, 2008New fertility legislation will make it illegal to use embryos with a known genetic abnormality in IVF treatment when ones without the same defect are available.

MPs dismayed by HFEA's hybrid egg decisionby Jonathan Petre, The Telegraph (UK)March 3rd, 2008The body which regulates embryo research is to come under fire for allowing scientists to create part-human, part-animal hybrids.

Cloning, Children, and Consentby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 8th, 2008After a string of actions that are a mix of the rushed and the unjustified, now I am reluctant to offer the benefit of the doubt to the UK's governance of reproductive and genetic technologies.

Change planned on cloning consentBBC NewsFebruary 2nd, 2008The government may allow scientists to clone embryos from tissues donated for research without the need for donors' "express" consent.

First animal-human embryo trials to go aheadby Mark Henderson, The Times (UK)January 17th, 2008Experiments to create Britain's first embryos that merge human and animal material will begin within months after a Government watchdog today approved two research teams to carry out the controversial work.

Share your eggs and get half-price IVFby Danielle Beeton, Sunderland EchoJanuary 8th, 2008Scientists are offering infertile UK women half-price IVF treatment in return for donating some of their eggs for stem cell research.

Goodbye Dolly?by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesNovember 17th, 2007Ian Wilmut, who came to fame by producing the world's first cloned mammal - and who is sitting on one of two licenses to clone human embryos that the British government has issued - is giving up on cloning techniques in stem cell research.

First One in the Pool...by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 17th, 2007The point, of course, is that in fact not everybody is equally represented in the DNA databases that are rapidly expanding in the United States as well as the UK.

Moving the Goalposts on Hybridsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesOctober 12th, 2007In recent years, biologists have been advocating the use of various human-animal constructs in their work. They seem to get what they want. In fact, they may now be getting more than they even asked for.

The Old Gray Lady's "Distressing" Editorialby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 25th, 2007It's distressing to see the nation's leading newspaper characterize informed choices about health risks -- choices unswayed by thousands of dollars -- as unacceptable barriers to scientific research.

They Really Mean EVERYBODY into the Poolby Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 21st, 2007A small uproar is brewing in the UK after news that the country’s criminal forensic database contains the DNA of a 7-month-old baby girl.

Everybody into the Poolby Jamie D. Brooks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 10th, 2007It’s been confirmed: Collecting arrestees’ DNA – as opposed to those convicted of serious violent crimes – exacerbates the racism inherent in criminal justice systems. And how should we combat this? “Collect the DNA of everyone in the U.K.,” says Lord Justice Sedley, one of England’s most experienced appeal court judges.

Refreshing Stem Cell Honesty, Part Oneby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 6th, 2007Stephen Minger of King's College London again provides some much-needed honesty in the claims of cloning-based stem cell research.

[UK] Fertility watchdog to allow use of human-animal chimera embryos for experimentsDaily MailSeptember 3rd, 2007The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority will recommend that the use of the hybrid embryos - where human DNA is put into egg cells removed from dead cows - should go ahead for research purposes.

Embryos injected with animal cells should be given human status, UK bishops urgeby Simon Caldwell, Catholic OnlineJune 27th, 2007Human embryos injected with animal cells, or chimeras, should be accorded human status under proposals to be considered by the British Parliament in the fall, said the Catholic bishops of England and Wales

File Under: Coming Soon?by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJune 21st, 2007A recent report by the UK's Academy of Medical Sciences leaves the door open for the creation of "'true' hybrid embryos by mixing human and animal gametes."

British body backs inter-species clonesby Maggie Fox, ReutersJune 18th, 2007Making human-animal embryos for scientific experiments should be allowed because of the benefits to science and medicine, British experts said in a report released for Sunday.

[UK] Lord Winston condemns IVF industryDaily ExpressJune 1st, 2007Britain's leading fertility expert condemned the IVF industry, saying it had been corrupted by money and exploited women.

Experts Slam UK Decision to Allow Human-Animal Embryos, Relax RulesGenetic CrossroadsMay 31st, 2007The British government released its draft recommendations for overhauling regulation of assisted reproduction and embryo research. The most noticed change was the lifting of research prohibitions on creating several kinds of human-animal embryos.

Human-animal embryos move nearer to realityDaily Mail (UK)May 19th, 2007Scientists are a step closer to creating human-animal chimera embryos after the Government performed a U-turn over banning the controversial research.

Clinic to weed out embryos with a squintby Roland Hancock, UK Daily TelegraphMay 8th, 2007Embryos are to be screened for a cosmetic defect for the first time in a British clinic.

UK's HFEA Lowers the Bar, Againby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesApril 30th, 2007The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority - Britain's regulatory body for reproductive and genetic technologies - has just given the green light for IVF embryos to be screened for the "breast cancer genes." But besides this lowering of the bar in expanding PGD's use, this also highlights two roles played by government in promoting what some call a "new eugenics."

Never satisfiedby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesMarch 9th, 2007Are researchers justified in asking women to provide their eggs for research cloning? Some people, including British cloning researcher Professor Alison Murdoch, are apparently impatient with all the dilly-dallying.

Researchers Push for Looser Rules on Procuring Women's EggsGenetic CrossroadsFebruary 28th, 2007Scientists who want large numbers of women's eggs for cloning-based stem cell research face widespread objections and concerns because of the risks that egg retrieval poses for women and the speculative nature of benefits from research cloning.

UK Campaign to Stop Genetically Modified Human Embryosby Marcy Darnovsky, Genetic CrossroadsFebruary 28th, 2007The UK-based Human Genetics Alert (HGA) has launched a campaign to prevent Britain from becoming the first country in the world to sanction the production of genetically modified human embryos.

Dawn of the GM babies? [UK]thisislondon.co.ukFebruary 24th, 2007Scientists will be able to carry out genetic experiments on human embryos for the first time under controversial UK Government plans.

New international guidelines for stem cell scienceby Aria Pearson, New ScientistFebruary 1st, 2007The first international guidelines on human embryonic stem cell research, released on Thursday, echo public opinion in calling for a ban on human reproductive cloning. But they are already proving controversial in other angles.

Important Changes in UK Law on Reproductive and Genetic Technologiesby David King, Genetic CrossroadsJanuary 26th, 2007Dr. David King gives his views on government proposals that would reorganize the UK HFEA and set important new rules.

Payment for Stem Cell Eggs Debated[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Malcolm Ritter, The Washington PostJanuary 20th, 2007The shortage of human eggs for research has triggered an ethical debate on both sides of the Atlantic: Should women be paid for supplying eggs?

Playing the fear cardby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 10th, 2007The idea of creating human-animal hybrids is initially deeply repulsive. Although many people may imagine something out of Planet of the Apes, at least one proposal is less problematic than what it would supplant.

UK Stem Cell Vote: It's decision time for 'hybrid' human-animal embryos[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Marisa Taylor, Red HerringJanuary 5th, 2007"The United Kingdom’s regulatory body for stem cell and fertility research will vote Wednesday to determine whether a team of British scientists should be allowed to use animal eggs in human embryonic stem cell research. "

Call for Public Comments on UK Eggs-for-Research PolicyGenetic CrossroadsNovember 15th, 2006The UK government is seeking public input into its pending decision about policy on procuring women's eggs for stem cell research. It will determine whether to allow researchers to recruit women to provide eggs specifically for research purposes, and if so, what safeguards would be needed.

Are DNA Databases Being Misused?by Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesNovember 10th, 2006Sir Alec Jeffreys, father of modern DNA fingerprinting, recently chastised the UK police for using his work to "creep" upon innocent people's freedoms.

Stem cell experts seek licence to create human-rabbit embryoby Ian Sample, The GuardianOctober 5th, 2006"British scientists are seeking approval to create embryos by fusing human cells with animal eggs in controversial research which will boost stem cell science and tackle some of the most debilitating and untreatable neurological diseases."

'Donor eggs for science' debatedBBC NewsSeptember 7th, 2006"The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is asking if IVF patients and women not having treatment should donate, and which checks are needed. "

Baby sex selection 'to be banned'BBC NewsJuly 12th, 2006"Choosing the sex of babies for social reasons will be banned, Health Minister Caroline Flint has said. "

Cut-off GenesOur gentle descent toward eugenicsby William Saletan, SlateMay 19th, 2006"The most important shift in the HFEA decision is that the lines being drawn in each of these areas_probability, treatability, and age of onset_are increasingly subjective."

Groups Protest Proposed Loosening of UK Guidelines on Eggs for ResearchGenetic CrossroadsMay 12th, 2006The UK agency that regulates embryo research and assisted reproduction is about to decide whether to loosen its guidelines on the procurement of women's eggs for research. Because of the health risks of the egg retrieval process, the current policy of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is that eggs can be collected only when women are already undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Fertility body to allow embryo screening for cancerby Patricia Reaney, Reuters UKMay 10th, 2006"The fertility watchdog decided on Wednesday to extend genetic screening of human embryos used in IVF treatments to check for faulty genes that increase the risk of breast, ovarian and bowel cancers."

Eggs for research: Endangering women's health?Genetic CrossroadsFebruary 23rd, 2006The cloning scandal has highlighted the hazards that procuring eggs for research will pose for women's health. It is important to remember that women's eggs are necessary only for research that involves cloning, and that the emphasis put on this technique by some stem cell scientists may be misplaced.

Donor breakthrough for cloning researchby Mark Henderson, The Times (London)February 14th, 2006"BRITISH women are to be cleared to donate eggs solely for cloning experiments that promise new therapies for diseases such as Parkinson_s and diabetes, The Times has learnt. "

UK gets £100m stem cell boostThe RegisterDecember 2nd, 2005"The UK's stem cell research programmes will benefit from œ100m over the next two years after Gordon Brown doubled the government's financial committement to the technology, Reuters reports."

Doctors sidestep laws to import stem cell 'bank'Telegraph (London)November 22nd, 2005"A vast 'bank' of human stem cells is to be brought to Britain, bringing hope of new cures for fatal genetic diseases but fuelling ethical concerns about embryo research."

What If Not Enough Are Around [UK]Inter Press ServiceNovember 8th, 2005"A recommendation by a British parliamentary committee to allow a couple to select the sex of their child under certain circumstances is leading to new fears in Asian and African communities."

An Offshore Haven for Human Embryonic Stem-Cell Research?New England Journal of MedicineOctober 20th, 2005South Korean researchers "planning to offer researchers in the United States and other countries a chance to work with such cell lines without having to make them themselves."

Review seeks public views on baby sex selection [UK]The GuardianAugust 16th, 2005The public consultation on the future of the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) will include whether to allow sex selection for "non-medical purposes."

Test-tube embryos may be screened for risk of cancer [UK]The TimesAugust 12th, 2005"The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) announced yesterday that it is to consult the public about letting couples choose embryos free from genetic defects. The defects raise the risk of cancer but do not always trigger it."

Cloning plan poses new ethical dilemmaThe Guardian (UK)July 26th, 2005"Healthy women could be asked to donate their eggs for cloning research in a controversial bid to speed up the development of new treatments for disease."

UK GOVERNMENT REPORT SUPPORTS REPRODUCTIVE CLONING, SEX SELECTIONGenetic CrossroadsMarch 31st, 2005

Opinion: To create, or not to create?by Bernadine Healy, M.D., US News and World ReportMarch 21st, 2005Columnist Bernadine Healy: "What has made the United States such fertile ground for expanding embryo research is not its liberal laws but the lack of them."

[UK] MPs say lift ban on reproductive human cloningThe ObserverMarch 20th, 2005A report from a committee of the UK House of Commons will recommend that human genetic modification, reproductive cloning, sex selection for social purposes, and human-animal chimeras should be permitted.

Dolly expert is to clone embryosBBC NewsFebruary 8th, 2005"The creator of Dolly the sheep has been granted a licence to clone human embryos for medical research."

Research cloning, PGD, and nuclear transfer in the United KingdomGenetic CrossroadsDecember 2nd, 2004Cloning pioneer Ian Wilmut heads the second lab to apply to the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for a license to conduct research cloning. The first such license was given to a team at Newcastle University lead by Alison Murdoch.

Legal challenge to human cloningBBC NewsNovember 17th, 2004"[Anti-abortion] Opponents of human therapeutic cloning are beginning a legal challenge to the granting of the first UK licence permitting the technique to be used."

Critics attack landmark decision on gene screeningby Sarah Boseley, The GuardianNovember 2nd, 2004"Not only the pressure group GeneWatch UK but even some fertility doctors had doubts about the way the decision was made [by the HFEA] to allow couples to have their embryos screened for a rare genetic mutation linked to bowel cancer."

Babies with three parents aheadby Antony Barnett and Robin McKie, The ObserverOctober 17th, 2004UK "Scientists are seeking permission to carry out experiments that would result in children being born with three biological parents." Approval by the HFEA is likely.

Prop. 71 a risky experiment in squandering public moniesby David Winickoff, San Francisco ChronicleOctober 17th, 2004David Winickoff, bioethics professor at UC Berkeley, asserts "A 'no' vote on Prop. 71 is not a vote against stem cell research. Rather, it represents a thoughtful position that we, the people of California, want more discussion and more accountability."

English Lab Ready to Clone Embryos for Stem Cellsby Stephen S. Hall, New York TimesOctober 12th, 2004This profile of the lab in the UK which will be conducting that nation's first research cloning experiments notes, among other things, that the UK does not intend to abide by any international convention prohibiting research cloning.

GeneWatch UK calls on HFEA to make decisions on cloning in the open and not behind closed doorsGeneWatch UKSeptember 29th, 2004"GeneWatch UK has written to the chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), Suzi Leather, asking for decisions about applications to clone human embryos for research to be open and transparent."

Dolly's creator seeks human cloning licenceby Patricia Reaney, ReutersSeptember 28th, 2004"Scientists [Professor Ian Wilmut] who created Dolly the sheep, the world's first cloned mammal, have applied for a licence to clone human embryos to obtain stem cells for research into Motor Neurone Disease."

'Designer Baby' Gets Go-Ahead (UK)British legislation allows the use of embryos in stem cell therapy Deutsche WelleSeptember 10th, 2004Now that the UK HFEA has generally permitted PGD for tissue typing, a family who had asked for the change will move forward with the procedure for their son.

Germans Call for European Ban on Embryo CloningDeutsche WelleAugust 13th, 2004German top doctors and political parties react to Britain's decision to allow human embryo cloning by calling for an EU ban on the practice and for Berlin to issue a more critical ethical position.

Italy shocked by British green light for human embryos cloningXinhuanetAugust 12th, 2004Italian reaction to British announcement of licenses issued for research cloning

Scientists given research cloning go-ahead (UK)BBC NewsAugust 11th, 2004British scientists have been given permission to perform therapeutic cloning using human embryos for the first time.

'Designer baby' rules up for debate (UK)BBC NewsJuly 17th, 2004The UK's rules governing "designer babies" could soon be relaxed to allow more screening and embryo selection.

Special Review: New Controversies over Stem Cells and CloningGenetic CrossroadsJuly 9th, 2004Controversy continues over research cloning and embryonic stem cell policy, generating higher political and financial stakes than ever before - along with continuing uncertainty, ambivalence, and confusion.

CGS NEWSGenetic CrossroadsApril 9th, 2004