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USA – Texas permanently bans taxpayer funding of abortion USA – Google and Facebook Protesting Women’s Health Care Clinic |
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USA – FDA Links Naturopathic Turmeric Death to Contaminated Product |
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Netherlands – Latest end-of-life statistics from the Netherlands New Zealand – 80 percent of respondents against legalizing assisted suicide |
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India – Commercial surrogacy still thriving in India |
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USA – New York doctor told to stop marketing 3-person IVF technique UK – Avoiding the next Charlie Gard dispute USA – Has the venerable Belmont Report passed its use-by date? |
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Israel – Government takes a hard stance on internet censorship UK – New UK law to block all adult content from the web USA – Children must learn about the consequences of sexting |
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| USA – Psychological analyses of Gender Dysphoria
Australia – Eight major twin studies prove homosexuality is not genetic |
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| USA – New bill to curb human trafficking epidemic USA – Bringing sex trafficking of males out of the shadows | |
| USA – FDA Approves Syndros, First Liquid Form of Cannabinoid Dronabinol USA – Taking dagga for pain is just wishful thinking |
Abortion
USA – Texas permanently bans taxpayer funding of abortion
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a bill to restrict state funding for abortion insurance. “As a firm believer in Texas values I am proud to sign legislation that ensures no Texan is ever required to pay for a procedure that ends the life of an unborn child,” Gov. Abbott said. “This bill prohibits insurance providers from forcing Texas policy holders to subsidize elective abortions. I am grateful to the Texas legislature for getting this bill to my desk and working to protect innocent life this special session. HB-214, which the Senate approved, applies to “elective” abortions and specifically includes an exemption for cases of medical emergency to save the mother’s life.
USA – Google and Facebook Protesting Women’s Health Care Clinic
Facebook and Google are co-sponsoring Netroots Nation, an annual gathering of progressive activists and political leaders who are targeting pro-life organization, Human Coalition, and the health care clinics they operate under the name Cura, which provide free medical services and counseling for women with unplanned pregnancies. Google and Facebook are listed as “premier sponsors” of Netroots, alongside far-left organizations like Planned Parenthood. The protest is titled, “Get Fake Clinics Out Of Atlanta!” The organizers appear particularly disturbed by Human Coalition’s use of prayer: their description of the protest includes two direct references to the advocacy group’s promotion of prayers for women considering abortions.
Alternative Medicine
USA – FDA Links Naturopathic Turmeric Death to Contaminated Product
Jade Erick, 30, died after California naturopathic doctor, Kim Kelly, gave her an intravenous preparation of curcumin. An FDA report found that Imprimis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IMMY), a compounding pharmacy based in San Diego, California, mixed the curcumin emulsion product used in Ms. Erick’s treatment with ungraded castor oil that had a warning label stating, “CAUTION: For manufacturing or laboratory use only.” The FDA found Diethylene Glycol in the lot of castor oil used in the curcumin emulsion made by Imprimis. Curcumin is a trendy yet ineffective substance for treating any medical condition. But this does not seem to deter Imprimis from listing its curcumin product under the oncology section of its website.
Euthanasia
Netherlands – Latest end-of-life statistics from the Netherlands
Here are statistics from the Netherlands based on the latest figures from 2015. Nearly one death in 20 (4.5{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4}) is now due to euthanasia. The figures come from a letter in the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. “It looks like patients are now more willing to ask for euthanasia and physicians are more willing to grant it,” said lead author Dr. Agnes van der Heide, of Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam. But the statistics for euthanasia only masks the proportion of end-of-life decisions in the Netherlands. The figures for some categories overlap, but 4.5{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of all deaths happened through euthanasia, 0.1{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} through physician-assisted suicide and 18.3{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} through “continuous deep sedation”.
https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/latest-end-of-life-statistics-from-the-netherlands/12378
New Zealand – 80 percent of New Zealanders are against legalizing assisted suicide
Eighty percent of New Zealanders who responded to a petition on the issue of ending one’s life were opposed to legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia. The results were part of a report composed in response to a petition presented to the government in June 2015 by past Minister of Parliament, Maryan Street. Opposition was largely based on concerns about vulnerable people, especially the elderly, disabled and those with mental illnesses. The Committee also noted that some “argued that life has an innate value and that introducing assisted dying and euthanasia would explicitly undermine that idea.”
IVF&Surrogacy
India – Commercial surrogacy still thriving in India
Surrogacy scandals about “baby factories” are still making headlines in India. Police raided a fertility clinic in an up-market suburb in Hyderabad and found 47 pregnant women living a two-storey dwelling. The clinic did not allow them to leave the building until they had delivered their babies. “The women were all huddled in one large room and had access to just one bathroom,” a police officer said. Pinki Virani, an activist who recently wrote a book on assisted reproduction, has urged the government to speed up regulation: … we don’t even know if some of the intending babies from those victims of human trafficking were actually meant to be sold for the internet-infant-porn market.
https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/commercial-surrogacy-still-thriving-in-india/12377
Medical Ethics
USA – Has the venerable Belmont Report passed its use-by date?
The 1979 Belmont Report by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research laid the foundations for bioethics standards in the United States the world. It identified three core principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice and three areas where ethical analysis was particularly needed: informed consent, assessment of risks and benefits, and selection of subjects. But this was nearly 40 years ago. Is it time for an overhaul? Yes, according to a leading American bioethicist, Art Caplan and three colleagues writing in the American Journal of Bioethics: The authors identify five areas which are poorly served by the Belmont Report’s standards: the line between research and practice is insufficient; unique harms to communities remain unacknowledged; failure to address transparency; the report’s focus on protectionism is incompatible with today’s emphasis on participation; and how the ethical principles are applied. The authors conclude: “Considering the important role the Belmont Report has played and continues to play in research ethics today it is time for a tune-up, if not a complete overhaul.”
https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/has-the-illustrious-belmont-report-passed-its-use-by-date/12388
UK – Avoiding the next Charlie Gard dispute
After the passing of British infant Charlie Gard who was at the centre of a treatment dispute that made international headlines, Dominic Wilkinson of the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics argues In the British Medical Journal that “the court of public opinion is surely the worst possible place for ethically complex decisions”. The editors of The Lancet agree with Wilkinson, “Charlie’s legacy could include further work on best practice guidelines for mediation between clinical teams and parents, agreement on a framework for use of experimental treatment, appropriate and timely focus on palliative and hospice care, and encouragement to clinicians offering alternative treatment to ensure they have full knowledge of the facts of the case.”
https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/avoiding-the-next-charlie-gard-dispute/12374
USA – New York doctor told to stop marketing 3-person IVF technique
A New York IVF clinic has been told by the US Food and Drug Administration to stop marketing Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy (MRT) – an experimental procedure that aims to prevent defective mitochondrial-DNA from being passed on to children. While MRT is prohibited in the US, Dr. Zhang, who last year delivered the first “three parent baby”, and colleagues have set up the New Hope Fertility Clinic in Guadalajara, Mexico. The FDA ordered Zhang to stop advertising the procedure. FDA officials listed several claims made on the New Hope website that needed to be removed immediately. The procedure is not approved in the U.S., and Congress has barred the FDA from even reviewing proposals to conduct MRT trials.
Pedophilia
Pornography
Israel – Government takes a hard stance on internet censorship
The Israeli government has approved a law that allows the court-ordered blocking or removal of internet sites promoting criminal or terrorist activity online. The law targets illegal gambling websites, prostitution and child pornography advertisements, online dealing of hard drugs and the websites of terror groups. The new law will give the police the necessary tools to fight criminals, felons, and inciters who have moved their activities online. Any operators found to be failing to comply with the court order will be imprisoned for two years, according to the new piece of legislation.
https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/3734/israel-takes-a-hard-stance-on-internet-censorship
UK – New UK law to block all adult content from the web
The UK government has announced an update to the Digital Economy Act which will mean those wanting to view pornographic material online must prove they are 18 or over. Verifying one is over 18 using the electoral roll or mobile phone contract provider have been suggested as possible methods. The UK will then have the most robust internet child protection measures of any country in the world. Online pornography has been seen by 65{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of 15-16 year olds and 48{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of 11-16 year olds, 28{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} have stumbled across pornography while 19{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} had searched for it deliberately according to a National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children report in 2016.
http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/829998/Porn-online-pornography-UK-law-ban
USA – Children must learn about the consequences of sexting
According to Michael Rourke, Weld Country district attorney, the “birds and the bees” talks by parents to their children must make room for teaching children about the consequences of sexting. Beyond the emotional impacts juvenile sexting creates it also raises legal implications. As from January 2018 penalties for these kind of crimes begin at a $50 fine or a required education program regarding the risks and consequences of sexting and escalates to 18 months in a community youth corrections facility and up to a $5,000 fine. Legally, those under the age of 18 who send pornographic images of themselves or other juveniles are disseminating child pornography. Sexting is the sending and receiving of nude images or videos through electronic means.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/opinion/rourke-time-to-learn-about-juvenile-sexting-law-is-now/
Same Sex Attraction
USA – Psychological analyses of Gender Dysphoria In June 2017, Dr. Michelle Cretella from The American College of Paediatricians (ACP) released a report called Gender Dysphoria in Children. They say that it is wrong to encourage children to believe that they were born in the wrong body. Dr. Cretella explained that infants are not born with the brains of the opposite sex; the male infant brain is masculinized prenatally by testosterone whereas the female brain is not. The youth is struggling with their sexual identity because of outside factors. Dr. Cretella explains that boys have a tendency to be more feminized due to a lack of a proper relationship with their father. There have been cases where girls are afraid of their father who demonstrate volatile anger and abuse towards the mother, as a result of this a girl may perceive being female as unsafe and psychologically defend against this by feeling like she is really a boy, subconsciously believing that if she were a boy… she would be safe from and loved by her Father. https://youtu.be/2GIFck6RXLgAustralia – Eight major twin studies prove homosexuality is not genetic
In 1991, Australia conducted the first major and reliable identical twins study. In 1997, the U.S. conducted another large study. In 2000, the U.S. and Australia did more twin studies and several studies after that by Scandinavia. All these studies come to the same conclusion that Same Sex Attraction (SSA) is not a genetic condition. SSA stems from factors after birth. For example, one twin might have exposure to pornography or sexual abuse, but not the other. One twin may interpret and respond to their family or classroom environment differently than the other. “These individual and idiosyncratic (unique to the individual) responses to random events and to common environmental factors predominate,” says Dr. Neil Whitehead, PhD. Dr. Whitehead has worked for the New Zealand government for 24 years as a scientific researcher. He explains that identical twins have the same DNA, if homosexuality is a genetic condition, then both twins should be homosexual and not only one. Neutral academic surveys show that half of the homosexual/bisexual population (without reparative therapy or counselling) moves towards heterosexuality over a lifetime. In other words, ex-homosexuals outnumber actual homosexuals.
Sexual Exploitation
USA – New bill to curb human trafficking epidemic The House of Representatives recently approved an anti-trafficking bill (H.R. 2200) which allocates over $500 million over four years for domestic and international programs to support victims and persons vulnerable to human trafficking. The bill will focus on assistance such as trauma-informed care, long-term housing options and the prevention of child sex trafficking. The bill highlights the importance of workforce training in industries that come into contact with trafficking victims, calling for standard training of airline pilots and flight attendants, as well as incentivizing hotels to train staff to spot signs of trafficking. The fact that H.R. 2200 passed with no recorded opposition is a testament to the fact that human trafficking is being increasingly recognized as a problem. http://allafrica.com/stories/201708030567.html USA – Bringing sex trafficking of males out of the shadows Popular culture rarely acknowledges that boys and men are also victims of sexual abuse and exploitation. Anna Smith, executive director of Restore One, an organization dedicated to helping in the recovery of boys who have been trafficked. Smith was unaware of the sexual victimization of males until she started working with survivors and hearing their stories. She was shocked to hear of males being sold online on Rentboy.com and how little attention the media paid to the issue. She reports that males who experience sexual abuse and report it are often met with disbelief from authorities, medical professionals, and even family members. Smith draws attention to the disturbing lack of programs focused on helping males and the change that needs to be made. http://endsexualexploitation.org/articles/bringing-sexual-abuse-exploitation-boys-men-shadows/ <Back to Top>Substance Abuse
USA – FDA Approves Syndros, First Liquid Form of Cannabinoid Dronabinol Available by prescription only, Syndros is manufactured by Insys Therapeutics, and is approved to treat patients with AIDS who are experiencing anorexia and weight loss, as well as for people with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy and suffer from nausea and vomiting that has not responded to conventional antiemetic treatments. The hope is that Syndros, or other similar drugs, will prove to be valuable alternatives to opioids for the management of chronic pain, Dr. Raskin said. “Taking a product like Syndros would also likely be safer for pain patients than using medical marijuana, since it is manufactured in a safe and highly regulated environment, while the quality of products purchase through a medical marijuana dispensary can have poor quality control”. https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/resources/news-and-research/fda-approves-syndros-first-liquid-form-cannabinoid-dronabinol USA – Taking dagga for pain is just wishful thinking People using dagga for chronic pain rely more on anecdotal accounts than scientific evidence. US researchers reviewed 27 chronic pain trials in the Annals of Internal Medicine to see whether treating adults with cannabis benefitted or harmed them and found “low strength evidence” they alleviate nerve pain. Up to half of South Africans live in pain every day‚ said Professor Romy Parker‚ director of the Chronic Pain Management Unit at UCT’s Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine. “Pain is a big problem in South Africa. Up to 74{01b0879e117dd7326006b2e84bcaac7e8fa1509c5c67baf2c9eb498fe06caff4} of women with HIV are living with pain. The researchers found cannabis use in the general population could increase risk for harms‚ including motor vehicle accidents‚ psychotic symptoms‚ and short-term cognitive impairment. https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/health-and-sex/2017-08-15-taking-dagga-for-pain-is-just-wishful-thinking-say-us-researchers/Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of Doctors for Life International
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