Category: human tissue

Regulating embryo models in the UK – Journal of Law and the Biosciences

Posted July 25th, 2024 in embryology, genetic testing, human tissue, news by sally

‘One of this century’s most dramatic scientific developments is the reprogramming of stem cells in order to create self-organizing embryo-like entities, known as stem cell based embryo models (SCBEMs). The science is moving very quickly, but if, as increasingly appears to be the case, scientists are capable of creating entities that are effectively indistinguishable from sperm and egg derived embryos, important legal questions arise. In countries like the UK, where a strict regulatory regime applies to research on embryos, should this be extended to SCBEM research, or would a different regulatory response be appropriate? Drawing on the 1984 Warnock Report, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and the latest guidelines from the International Society for Stem Cell Research, this article considers principles for the regulation of the creation and use of SCBEMs.’

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Journal of Law and the Biosciences, 18th July 2024

Source: academic.oup.com

Council rejects Jewish sect’s planning application that would finally allow them to travel on the London Underground – The Independent

Posted November 28th, 2023 in human tissue, Judaism, local government, London, news, planning, transport by tracey

‘A council has rejected a multi-million pound scheme from a Jewish religious sect that would have allowed its members to use the London Underground.’

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The Independent, 27th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Pregnant girl, 11, who was raped twice should have a termination, judge rules – The Independent

Posted October 12th, 2023 in abortion, children, forensic science, human tissue, news, pregnancy, rape by sally

‘A pregnant 11-year-old girl who has twice been raped by teenage boys should have a termination, a High Court judge has ruled.’

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The Independent, 11th October 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sister of Christopher Alder on 25-year fight for answers – BBC News

Posted March 30th, 2023 in burials and cremation, death in custody, human tissue, inquests, news, police, unlawful killing by sally

‘More than a decade after his death in police custody, the body of former paratrooper Christopher Alder was discovered lying in a mortuary. At the same time, in a grave bearing his name lay the body of a 77-year-old woman. No-one has ever been held responsible for either incident. Ahead of the 25th anniversary of his death, Mr Alder’s sister, Janet, spoke to the BBC about the psychological toll of her battle for truth and accountability.’

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BBC News, 30th March 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Frozen-egg storage 10-year limit ‘could be extended’ – BBC News

Posted February 11th, 2020 in assisted reproduction, embryology, human tissue, news, time limits by sally

‘The period of time for which eggs, sperm and embryos can be frozen could be extended, as the government calls for views on the current 10-year limit.’

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BBC News, 11th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sperm donations from dead men should be allowed, study says – BBC News

Posted January 21st, 2020 in assisted reproduction, consent, embryology, human tissue, news by sally

‘Sperm donations taken from men after they have died should be allowed, a study says.’

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BBC News, 21st January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Dr Evil’: Wolverhampton tattooist jailed for tongue-splitting – BBC News

Posted March 22nd, 2019 in grievous bodily harm, human tissue, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A body modification artist known as Dr Evil has been jailed for carrying out ear and nipple removals and splitting a customer’s tongue.’

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BBC News, 21st March 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Organ preservation, cryonics and charity law: Hipkiss – Law & Religion UK

Posted September 20th, 2018 in charities, human tissue, news, rectification, tribunals by tracey

‘In November 2016, the BBC carried the story Terminally-ill teen won historic ruling to preserve body, following the lifting the territorial reporting restrictions which existed until one month after the death of the teenager concerned, a girl referred to as “JS”: see JS (Disposal of Body), Re [2016] EWCH (Fam). We noted the case here and looked at some of the more general practicalities of regulating cryogenic preservation – the storage of the brains and/or bodies of legally-dead humans at low temperatures. In the aftermath of the ruling in JS, the Charity Commission for England and Wales decided in 2017 to remove the Human Organ Preservation Research Trust (HOPRT) from the Register; and in Hipkiss v Charity Commission for England & Wales [2018] FTT (Charity) CA/2017/0014, Mr Graham Hipkiss, its sole remaining trustee, succeeded in an appeal to the First Tier Charity Tribunal against the order of the Commission.’

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Law & Religion UK, 17th September 2018

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Posthumous conception: a legacy in life, incapacity and death – Family Law Week

Posted August 31st, 2018 in assisted reproduction, consent, human tissue, married persons, news by tracey

‘Louisa Ghevaert and Michael Mylonas QC consider the ground breaking decision in Y v A Healthcare NHS Trust and others [2018] EWCOP 18.’

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Family Law Week, 21st August 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

‘A crisis for human rights’: new index reveals global fall in basic justice – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2018 in human tissue, news, rule of law, statistics by sally

‘Fundamental human rights are reported to have diminished in almost two-thirds of the 113 countries surveyed for the 2018 Rule of Law Index, amid concerns over a worldwide surge in authoritarian nationalism and a retreat from international legal obligations.’

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The Guardian, 31st January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Families buried wrong bodies after NHS mortuary mix-ups, study reveals – The Independent

Posted November 24th, 2017 in burials and cremation, hospitals, human tissue, mistake, news, reports by tracey

‘Families have been given the wrong bodies to bury or cremate due to serious errors in hospital mortuaries, a study has revealed. Analysis of 132 serious mortuary incidents reported by the NHS between 2002 and 2013 found nine cases where the wrong body was released and had to be exhumed after burial or cremation.’

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The Independent, 24th November 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hundreds of families block organ donation – BBC News

Posted October 20th, 2017 in consent, families, human tissue, news by sally

‘Organs from 505 registered donors could not be made available for transplant in the last five years because of objections from relatives.’

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BBC News, 19th October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hull baby ashes inquiry: 57 parents not given ashes back – BBC News

Posted July 26th, 2017 in burials and cremation, children, hospitals, human tissue, inquiries, news, parental rights by sally

‘Up to 57 families were not given the ashes of babies who were cremated, an investigation has found.’

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BBC News, 25th July 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Planning for Death, A Child’s Wishes and Re JS (Disposal of Body) [2016] EWHC 2859 (Fam) – Family Law Week

Posted December 16th, 2016 in burials and cremation, children, consent, human tissue, news, parental rights by tracey

‘Louise Spalding, Associate Solicitor with Mills & Reeve LLP, considers the court’s powers to enable a 14-year old girl to make preparations for the post-death disposal of her body.’

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Family Law Week, 15th December 2016

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Cryogenics case not a precedent – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 22nd, 2016 in burials and cremation, consent, human rights, human tissue, medical treatment, news by sally

‘A widely publicised family court ruling which had the effect of allowing the freezing of the body of a 14-year-old girl does not set any precedent about the rights and wrongs of cryopreservation, the judge in the case has suggested.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 18th November 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Corporeal freedom after death? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 21st, 2016 in children, consent, divorce, human rights, human tissue, news by sally

‘A great deal has been written about this case but few of the headlines reflect the humanity and sensitivity of the decision, which may not be ground breaking nor precedent setting, but reflects how the law should respond to individual wishes if those play out in a way that cannot harm anyone else. Post-mortem cryonics may have a certain morbid ring, but it is a matter of individual choice, provided the resources are there to pay for it. As the judge observed, it was:

“no surprise that this application is the only one of its kind to have come before the courts in this country, and probably anywhere else. It is an example of the new questions that science poses to the law, perhaps most of all to family law.”‘

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th November 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Is There A Human Right To Cryogenically Freeze Your Body? – RightsInfo

Posted November 18th, 2016 in burials and cremation, consent, families, human rights, human tissue, medical treatment, news by sally

‘The mother of a dying girl has been given the right to cryogenically freeze her daughter’s body after her death, in the hope that she will one day be resurrected and cured. What are the human rights implications?’

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RightsInfo, 18th November 2016

Source: www.rightsinfo.org

14-year-old girl who died of cancer wins right to be cryogenically frozen – The Guardian

Posted November 18th, 2016 in cancer, children, consent, human tissue, medical treatment, news by sally

‘A 14-year-old girl who said before dying of cancer that she wanted a chance to live longer has been allowed by the high court to have her body cryogenically frozen in the hope that she can be brought back to life at a later time.’

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The Guardian, 18th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge allows paternity test for DNA disease analysis – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 22nd, 2016 in cancer, DNA, family courts, genetic testing, human tissue, news, paternity by tracey

‘Spencer v Anderson (Paternity Testing) [2016] EWHC 851 (Fam). A fascinating case in the Family Division throws up a number of facts that some may find surprising. One is that this is the first time the courts in this country have been asked to direct post-mortem scientific testing to establish paternity. The other is that DNA is not covered by the Human Tissue Act, because genetic material does not contain human cells. One might wonder why the statute doesn’t, given that DNA is the instruction manual that makes the human tissue that it covers – but maybe updating the 2004 law to cover genetic material would create more difficulties than it was designed to resolve.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th April 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Court lets mother appeal against ban on using dead daughter’s frozen eggs – The Guardian

Posted February 24th, 2016 in appeals, grandparents, human tissue, news, surrogacy by sally

‘A mother has been granted permission to appeal against a legal ban on her using her dead daughter’s frozen eggs in order to give birth to a grandchild.’

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The Guardian, 24th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk