News, 9 February 2000

British MPs are asserting that the health service discriminates against old people. More than 100 of them have signed a parliamentary motion on the subject and Mr John Austin, a Labour member of the health select committee, has called for an enquiry. The text of the motion will appear in the next 24 hours at http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=366 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_635000/635688.stm]

Scientists at Florida university say they have found a way of testing whether an unborn child's lungs are properly developed during the late stages of pregnancy without performing amniocentesis. Researchers say that a reliable sample of fluid can be taken from the vagina or the neck of the womb. Such testing is needed if the membrane enclosing the child ruptures, and mother and baby consequently risk infection. [BBC website, 6 February, 2000, 01:21 GMT]

President Clinton is trying to allay public worries about the use of human genetic research. He said that progress in this field "imposes upon us a profound responsibility to make sure that the age of discovery can continue to reflect our most cherished values." There is concern that genetic techniques which let doctors predict individuals' likelihood to contract certain diseases could be used to discriminate among employees and assess insurance-risks. [Guardian, 9 February, 2000]

Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat candidate for the US Senate, has said that she cannot imagine voting for a pro-life nominee for the American supreme court. Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who may be her Republican opponent, has said that he would not rule out backing a pro-life judge. [Associated Press via Pro-Life Infonet (request@prolifeinfo.org), 9 February, 2000]

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