LifeZine No. 605: 9th Jul 08
Standing Shoulder to Shoulder on Abortion Issue in Northern Ireland
In the face of ongoing threats to unborn human life, Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) successfully extracted a promise from UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown that the Abortion Act would not be extended to Northern Ireland. According to columnist Mary Kenny writing in “The Irish Catholic”, “it was an amazing—and wonderful—turnaround for history that Irish Catholics and Ulster Protestants had stood shoulder to shoulder on this issue of the unborn child”. She added, “the DUP’s stalwart defence of the unborn shows that whatever political differences remain within Ireland—and perhaps will always remain—there is a deep sense of unity of values”. However, despite widespread opposition to abortion in Northern Ireland, some Westminster MPs are still intent on making efforts this Autumn to extend the UK's abortion legislation to the province. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Care for Terminally Ill Falls Far Short of Targets—Need for Increased Palliative Resources
The numbers of beds and staff available in Ireland dedicated to the treatment of terminally ill patients still falls far short of what was recommended in a report which became government policy seven years ago. The revelation comes in a review of resources in the sector published recently by the Irish Hospice Foundation. The review, which measured the position at the end of last year, indicates there are still 610 fewer staff and 237 fewer beds in the hospice/palliative care sector than was recommended in the Report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care back in 2001. Eugene Murray, chief executive of the hospice foundation, said the palliative care budget of €75.5 million would need to double to meet staff and bed needs. “There is strong evidence that this investment will actually save money when compared to current expenditure in end-of-life care”, he said. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Labour 'In Danger of Losing' Votes of Catholics
James MacMillan, the acclaimed Scottish composer, has warned the Labour Party that they are in danger of losing the Catholic vote. Mr MacMillan, who has been vocal in his condemnation of sectarianism in the past, wrote an open letter to Wendy Alexander, then leader of the Labour group in the Scottish Parliament, which has been published in the “Catholic Observer”. He warned Ms Alexander that the way Labour MPs voted in recent Commons debates on abortion and human-animal embryos might lose the party thousands of votes in Scotland. Mr Macmillan is hugely critical of the recent votes on human-animal embryos and on abortion time limits, saying they showed an "immoral" use of power by the House of Commons. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Pope Says Church Role in Politics 'For Good of All'
The Pope said recently that the Church has a role in informing social policy. Benedict XVI, visiting southern Italy, said Catholic involvement in issues such as abortion and embryo research did not usurp governments' roles. Good would win through, he said, and bear fruit in the long term. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Ovulation Moment Caught on Camera
Human ovulation has been filmed during a hysterectomy in Belgium. The Louvain University surgeon observed the process, which took 15 minutes. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Alternatives to Embryonic Stem Cells Producing More Success Stories
Adult stem cells have been used to treat a patient's back complaint. In the US State of Colorado surgeons operated on a spinal disc with somatic cells to alleviate severe pain by hydrating the disc. The state's governor has signed a bill to support adult stem cell research. In Minnesota, bone marrow and umbilical tissue was reportedly used to treat an infant's skin disease. And in another development, cells from the nose could treat Parkinson's, according to researchers in Griffith University, Queensland, Australia. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....