De l’interdiction de la recherche sur l’embryon et les cellules souches au régime d’autorisation sous condition : brèves remarques sur la protection de la vie humaine dans la loi no 2013-715 du 6 août 2013

The publication in the Official Journal of Law No. 2013-715 of August 6th 2013 which authorizes under conditions embryos and embryonic stem cells research is a milestone in the legal and ethical field in France. Indeed, the new Article L. 2151-5 of the Public Health Code replaces the prohibition regime of embryos and embryonic stem cells research by an authorization regime, which raises the question of the value and the protection of embryonic life in French law.     

L’avis du CCNE no 126 (15 juin 2017) sur les demandes sociétales de recours à l’assistance médicale à la procréation : un pas en avant et deux en arrière…

On June 15, 2017, the National Consultative Ethics Committee released an opinion in favour of the extension of medically assisted procreation (MAP) to lesbian couples and single women. This opinion recommends a reversal of the medical model, which serves as the starting point for the regulatory framework concerning MAP, and expresses its support to social and family evolutions. Nonetheless this liberal and progressive stand could be a mere smokescreen, if it does not result in any meaningful implementation due to practical hindrances; moreover, this seemingly progressive stand could be questioned in view of the conservative position expressed on the issues of surrogacy and oocyte self-preservation by the committee in the same opinion.