by NexDev | February 27, 2019 | Maternity
On February 26, 2019 the French High Council for the Family, Childhood and the Elderly issued a report recommending reform in parental leave policies to improve balance between work and family life.
Based on the shortcomings observed in the parental leave reform implemented in 2015, the recent report examines the issue of parents caring for their own children, and their eligibility to receive parental benefits if they interrupt or reduce their professional activity.
This report complements the report dealing with “care arrangements for children under age 3, arrangements which mainly concerned the development of complementary means of formal childcare”.
Indeed, the report emphasizes that the use of the financial help known as “PreParE” (compiled benefits for a child’s care and education), rapidly decreases (a 32% drop between 2016 and 2017, and more than half (52%) since 2009). This indicates how inadequate this subsidy is for families, partly because the amount granted is low, and because of the eligibility criteria, and the reduced duration for entitlement. One of the reasons accounting for the parental leave’s lack of appeal is that the benefit has been devalued by 38% compared to salaries.” Henceforth the rapporteurs propose calculating a benefit index based on salaries, on a permanent basis.
Parental leave had previously been reduced to 2 years if only the mother took time off work. However, despite losing a year of benefits for interrupting their professional activity, “mothers remained inactive until their youngest child turned 3, or even until he began kindergarten.” The loss of income has doubled the number of poor families. The percentage of poor households has increased from 16% to 33% in families where mothers took maternity leave.
French childcare policies were previously focused on giving parents a free choice. Reducing parental leave benefits to only 2 years has had a huge impact. The report states that “one of the most important criteria cited was to have reliable child-care until school enrollment”.
Therefore the recommendations aim to mitigate the conditions and fulfill family’s requisitions. Some specific propositions include to continue parental leave benefits until the child enters kindergarten, to encourage part-time work and to simultaneously extend parental leave for a longer time period, or to allot more substantial benefits for short-term parental leaves.
The proposals focus on 4 points:
- early child care;
- Helping parents of young children keep or find work;
- Reforming parental leave conditions and subsidies;
- Better equality for sharing time between both parents, and to fight gender inequalities.
The authors warn that “although reform appears highly necessary, the immediate costs would rise, therefore negotiation would be required to establish a timeline. The reform should not only be considered in terms of its immediate impact on the public finance budget, but also the anticipated long-term benefits for society, beginning with the children.”
To put the latter observation into perspective: the current “PreParE” policy has been demonstrated as being inadequate for assisting families; and from 2013-2018 families allotted benefits were decreased by 1 billion €.
A recent European agreement dated January 24, 2019, has also addressed this issue of balancing work and family life, thus paving the way for a new policy, as the current report cites in Appendix 1.
by NexDev | February 15, 2019 | Bioethics
The American scientific magazine MIT Review, from the renowned University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology has just published a report estimating that more than 26 million people have already used these kits to have their DNA tested.
If this growth trend continues, the companies selling these kits will have the “genetic fingerprints” of more than 100 million people.
Sold on the Internet, these DNA test kits are very simple to use. Supplied with instructions to swab for a little saliva which is mailed back to the laboratory, the customer receives his DNA results by e-mail within a few weeks time.
These tests compare an individual’s genetic fingerprints or DNA profile to a database of populations in several parts of the world and can also compare the percentage of DNA in common with those previously tested and whose genetic data is available. By noting the genetic ancestry for each client, these companies have gradually compiled huge databases.
Almost the entire market is held by 2 companies: Ancestry DNA and 23andMe. Ancestry DNA offers to study the ethnic origins of its clients or to help them find a person with whom they have family ties. A subsidiary of Google, 23andMe originally proposed these tests to provide information on health and genetic risks. It now also allows people to find a family member, such as Arthur Kermalvezen, born by ART (assisted reproductive technology) with anonymous donor, who found his biological father through these databases. Also an offspring from a donor, his wife found a half-sister and a half-brother via these databases.
Major issues are raised since these tests are available to the public on the Internet. Data protection could be problematic, in addition to the fact that the results are not always reliable. Test results communicated without any medical support could be a difficult shock, for example, when receiving an e-mail notice for a predisposition to Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease…
In France, DNA testing or genetic fingerprinting is only allowed for medical research or police investigation purposes. Otherwise, if a person requests DNA testing for himself or a third party, or requests identification of an individual based on his genetic fingerprints, he could be fined €3,750 [1].
by NexDev | February 8, 2019 | Fertility and pregnancy, Medically Assisted Procreation
On January 23, 2019, the French National Institute of Demographic Studies (INED) published the research results by 2 scientists on late motherhood, which is occurring more and more frequently in the developed countries.
In the 20th century, economic and social developments have markedly changed women’s fertility patterns in the developed countries. These researchers account for this by the phenomenon of women delaying their first pregnancy until age 40 and over. They note that in 1984, first births at age 40 accounted for less than 0.5% of first births. In 2014 they represented between 2% and 4.7% depending on the country: a spectacular increase in delayed pregnancy, partially due to ART.
The causes of this delay are cumulative: people are staying longer in education, delayed entry into the labour market, family planning, various sentimental choices, and pregnancies resulting from a second union. Abortions and widespread use of contraceptives are also cited as important causes.
Today, even the pregnancy rate among women over 50 years is on the increase: in the European Union there were 287 cases in 2002, compared to 1,293 in 2016. However, several studies warn against the complications of delaying pregnancy to a later age: pre-eclampsia, hypertension, gestational diabetes, as well as a higher percentage of caesarean deliveries and premature births…
Included in the new bioethical bill agenda in France, is the possibility to conserve one’s oocytes, thus insinuating that pregnancy can be delayed beyond a possible and “reasonable” age.
Already in 2005, the French High Council on Population and the Family noted their concern for “health risks for the child and the mother” related to delayed pregnancy by denouncing it as a “social problem” and a “genuine public health problem “. Faced with this somber scenario, the High Council has called on public authorities to perform their «dutiful obligation to inform citizens so they can make informed choices“, and to ensure “stricter ART supervision”.
As Alliance VITA advocated in its hearings during the French Bioethics Law revision, awareness campaigns for young girls and boys are urgently needed, to stress the importance of biological clocks and bearing children during natural fertility periods, relatively young. Infertility prevention needs realistic information on fertility and a genuine political commitment to promoting social conditions that allow young women to juggle with higher education, entry into the professional life and maternity.
by NexDev | February 7, 2019 | News
On February 5, 2019 to mark the national day dedicated to preventing suicide, the French public health agency published several well-documented articles on suicide and attempted suicides in France over the past several years.
High suicide rate in France
According to the Center of Epidemiology statistics investigating medical causes of death, in 2015 there were 8.948 deaths by suicide in the 13 metropolitan regions in France.
Although generally thought to be underestimated by approximately 10%, it is nevertheless lower than in 20001.
The national average of deaths by suicide is 15.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. This figure covers large disparities, particularly by region. In the North-West, 4 regions are largely above it, although the causes are difficult to determine: Brittany (24.7), the Pays-de-la-Loire (21.3), Hauts-de-France (20.7) and Normandy (19.5). However, the Ile-de-France region ranks 7.6 with the lowest rate and half the national average.
By examining the death certificates between 2000 and 2014, suicides were found to account for 1.9% of all deaths, with a majority being men (74%). Mental disorders represented 40% of suicides, with depression accounting for the vast majority: 38% for women and 28% for men. Compared to other individuals, suicide was cited 41 times more for these individuals, compared to other causes of death.Previously other studies have also shown significant disparities according to age, occupation, family environment, etc.
Analyzing suicide attempts
In 2017, the French Public Health Barometer interviewed 25,319 people aged 18 to 75 regarding any suicidal thoughts over the past 12 months, as well as any attempted suicides over the course of their lives including the preceding 12 months.
The main results are:
- 2% of those surveyed had attempted suicide at some point in their lifetime.
- 7% reported having suicidal thoughts in the previous 12 months. The factor most frequently cited for considering suicide was having experienced a depressive episode during that period.
- The factors most associated with suicidal behavior were: being female, having financial difficulties, being single, divorced or widowed, experiencing professional inactivity or traumatic events (domestic problems, sexual violence …)
- The majority of adults reporting suicide attempts were 15 – 19 years old at the time; for women 30% occurred at that age and for men 19.5%.
- There are more suicide attempts among women (9.9% say they have made attempts) compared to (4.4%). Yet more men die from suicide, since they employ more lethal means (firearms, hanging).
Urgent necessity for improving suicide prevention
In the weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, Pierre Thomas, Psychiatry Professor in Lille, emphasizes the national tragedy of suicide deaths in his editorial: “Every suicide is a disaster, causing so much pain and injury to loved ones, and it can be one of the most distressing events that health professionals confront. On average, suicide is considered to leave 7 loved ones grieving and affects over 20 people. Yet it has been shown that the risk of suicide is significantly increased in the people surrounding a suicidal person (family, classmates, co-workers, etc.) “.
In conclusion, the authors of the 2017 barometer emphasize that pursuing prevention policies should be a priority: “Our results confirm the interest of launching a suicide prevention policy focused on high-risk individuals and their families, to provide help before suicidal crisis situations occur, to identify and manage situations involving psychological suffering early on. They also advocate multidisciplinary care (health, social, medico-social), especially for vulnerable people. “
___________________________________________
1 According to the National Suicide Observatory’s third report published in February 2018, there were 8,885 deaths by suicide in 2014, officially recorded in metropolitan France, i.e. an average of 1per hour; down by a fourth (- 26%) compared to 2003.
by NexDev | February 7, 2019 | Bioethics
For the fourth and closing evening of the Bioethics Conference organized by Alliance VITA this year, the theme addressed was “Life, Under Pressure?”
The conference was opened by the philosopher and mathematician, Oliver Rey, author of “Transhumanism: Illusion and Deception” (published by Desclée de Brouwer, 2018) who spoke of the difficulties men have to adapt to the environment that mankind itself created, but which is overwhelming. Thus the scientific movement towards an enhanced, improved man: “Transhumanism is flattering for the childish fantasies of being all powerful, but it paves the way for being totally dependent. That’s why it is being supported by powerful firms which will receive giant profits from this total dependency.”
Tugdual Derville, Alliance VITA’s General Delegate, and author of “Time for Mankind” (published by Plon, 2016) described humanity as being torn apart into “four practical ideologies”: tactics based on technology, tactics against the human species, Malthusianism and eugenics. All of these ideologies make it difficult to clarify human beings’ identity, dignity, sovereignty and accountability. Caught somewhere in between animals and robots, humanity is also attacked by those who contest the population numbers or who want to impose standards of quality. To resist and counter these ideologies, Tugdual suggests 3 antidotes: search for a peaceful equilibrium with nature, a closer contact with those who are weak or vulnerable, and to be open to transcendence.
This evening’s guest witness was General Henri Marescaux, who founded the « Tamaris » association which helps both French citizens and foreigners find alternatives to prostitution. His book “The prostitutes will precede us” was published in 2018 by Mediaspaul. He described the daily ordeal to help women leave this vicious circle. He also emphasized the fact that unfortunately the laws passed in the past several years do not address the real problems, whether they involve punishing the clients, or granting French citizenship.
Blanche Streb, Alliance Vita’s Research and Training Director, and author of “Dystopia: The World of Designer Babies”, published by Artège in 2018) presented the bioethics decoder on the theme of “Ethical or Pathetical”. She treated the impact of the inappropriate use of pathos in our society. It is regularly used to justify scientific transgressions. “Life under pressure… our conscience hears this underlying murmur which shows that life depends on us, and counts on us. The cultural lines have been drawn between technology, considered as an absolute truth, and humanity’s moral responsibility.”
Caroline Roux, VITA’s Assistant General Deputy and Director of VITA International, spoke on international aid. “Ethically speaking, the main problem is placing an interpretation of Human Rights on a slippery slope towards allowing individual rights to take precedent, to the detriment of the most vulnerable and of protecting human life.” She emphasized that Alliance VITA has just been accredited by the UN’s Economic and Social Council. This will open new perspectives to cooperate and to speak up at the United Nations in favor of those who are vulnerable.
François-Xavier Pérès, as Alliance VITA’s President, gave the closing speech for this cycle of the Annual Bioethics Conference, by a call to action for those who think that life and vulnerable individuals deserve protection. Faced with unpredictable politics, and the bioethics law currently being revised, he called for participation in the upcoming national debate. “Commitment is answering to a call that is costly. A desire to commit rises from and beats in the heart. If the answer is “yes”, then we’re off for the adventure, with all the risks entailed!”
This was the closing session for this year’s innovative Bioethics Conference organized by VITA, which was exceptionally well-attended both in France and abroad.
