News,

The US has said that abortion cannot be regarded as a human right, at a conference marking 10 years since the Beijing Conference on the status of women. The UN Commission on the Status of Women attempted to pass a declaration reaffirming support for Beijing prior to two weeks of talks and discussions between government officials and campaigners, but the US asked that the declaration affirm Beijing without including a right to abortion. Rick Grenell, a US delegation spokesman said: "We just wanted to make clear what the assumptions were about the Beijing document. We don't believe that it recognises abortion as an international human right." [The Guardian, 1 March]

The disability rights group Not Dead Yet has criticised Hollywood's Motion Picture Academy for contempt for people with disabilities after two films promoting euthanasia were awarded Oscars. Diane Coleman, the group's president, stated: "They love us if we're begging for a cure or begging to die. Once we start talking about our rights, we see their interest and sympathy disappear." [PRWeb, 28 February]

The Welsh Assembly is to discuss plans to deny NHS-funded IVF treatment to couples who already have already had an IVF baby on the NHS. Those who have tried three IVF cycles privately, those who smoke or who have a child from a previous or current relationship may also be debarred. [ICWales, 1 March]

Glasgow parents are being asked their opinions of sex education in schools as part of a survey led by the Teenage Pregnancy Steering Group. Tom Divers, head of NHS Greater Glasgow, said: "By recognising that parents play a vital role in the development of their children's understanding of sexual health matters, the steering group have developed this questionnaire. Parents can now inform the way future health services and council services are developed and delivered." [BBC, 1 March]

An article in The Guardian has used the current suffering of Pope John Paul II to explore his belief in the value of human life, with particular regard to end-of-life care. [The Guardian, 28 February]

Researchers from Imperial College London have found a possible link between a lung infection and pre-eclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that affects some 3% of pregnant women. The team led by Dr Catherine Williamson found that of the 91 pregnant women studied, those who had had pre-eclampsia had higher levels of antibodies to the Chlamydia Pneumoniae infection. This infection is a different type of Chlamydia to the sexually transmitted infection. [BBC, 28 February]

The Chinese Government has refused to sign a UN declaration calling for a ban on human cloning and has promised to increase funding for cloning research. There are now thought to be over 20,000 people in China involved with human cloning in 3000 scientific institutions. [CWNews, 28 February]

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