If you have trouble reading this, please click http://www.freedomofresearch.org/sites/default/files/freedom23.html

Number 23, April 2011

• Embryo’s patentability, your comments. In response to newsletter no. 22, Bernard Siegel, Executive Director and founder of Genetics Policy Institute (GPI), sent his opinion on patentability of biotechnology inventions: “In a sense, this case may be the European version of Sherley v. Sebelius, the U.S. case where two adult stem cell researchers are seeking the U.S. federal courts to prevent the National Institutes of Health from funding research with cell lines derived from human embryonic stem cells”. Read more. According to professor Pierre Mallia, Bioethics Research Programme University of Malta, “the true enemy is human dialogue on the one hand and abuse of science on the other”. Read more.

• EU Clinical Trials Register goes live. The EU Clinical Trials Register (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/) was launched  last March by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The online register gives for the first time public access to information on interventional clinical trials for medicines authorized in the 27 EU Member States and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The database also allows the public to search for information on clinical trials authorized to be carried out outside the EU if these trials are part of a pediatric investigation plan. The registry will allow that researchers can see what research has already been initiated or carried out in order to avoid that they again carry out the same study. Clinical trials carried out in accordance with Directive 2001/20/EC are recognized by the EU Member States. Read more.

• US, 8 states are considering proposals that would give fertilized eggs the rights of “personhood”. According to Janna Chan (Center for Reproductive Rights) the number of states considering personhood bills has rapidly risen to 8: Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma. A few states, such as Georgia and Iowa, introduced personhood bills, but they are not being moved through the legislative process. The provision would serve as a ploy to outlaw abortion and emergency contraception. Source http://reproductiverights.org/

• Polish Parliament Liberalizes Anti-Drug Law. Poland’s lower house of parliament Sejm Friday passed new legislation that gives prosecutors the option not to charge people detained with small quantity of drugs. Poland’s lower house of parliament Sejm passed new legislation that gives prosecutors the option not to charge people detained with small quantity of drugs. At the same time, Sejm also voted to increase the maximum prison sentence for drug dealers to 12 years and for users carrying large quantities of illegal substances up to 10 years. Read more.

News in brief:

• Hungary: Parliament votes for new constitution http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13122745

• Slovak Women Struggle to Buy Birth Control http://reproductiverights.org/en/feature/new-report-slovak-women-struggle-to-buy-birth-control
• Margo MacDonald vows to fight on for assisted suicide law http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/04/08/margo-macdonald-vows-to-fight-on-for-assisted-suicide-law-86908-23046742/

Edited by Carmen Sorrentino

Remember to request your copy of the proceedings of the World Congress 2009! Donate to the World Congress for freedom of scientific research and send an email to info@freedomofresearch.org

An initiative by Associazione Luca Coscioni and Nonviolent Radical Party

If you want to be cancelled please send an e-mail to info@freedomofresearch.org