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Past research has shown that endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), including steroid hormones, synthetic estrogens and progestins found in oral contraceptives, are present in water supplies. This problem remains an environmental and health concern, especially given the widespread use of contraceptives and the increased prevalence of medication abortion in recent years. These compounds have a number of deleterious effects on human and animal biology, particularly aquatic animals. Small amounts of these chemicals (parts per trillion) can affect the endocrine system of animals and humans. Progestins, including specifically the anti-progesterone synthetic steroid hormone mifepristone, have been found to have disruptive effects on the fertility and reproduction of fish. Moreover, further highlighting the potential for environmental toxicity and contamination, the FDA recommends treating any unused mifepristone pills as hazardous waste.

With the deep integration of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, the paradigm of genetic discrimination is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Rather than relying on specific genetic markers, AI systems may infer individuals’ underlying biological risks through proxy data. This emerging form of discrimination, conceptualized in this article as “Algorithmic Proxy Genetic Discrimination” (APGD), is predictive, opaque, and structural. However, China’s existing Personal Information Protection Law and fragmented anti-discrimination framework remain insufficient to address this problem. In addition, APGD raises profound ethical and social challenges. To mitigate these risks, this article proposes a tiered regulatory approach: (1) controlling the misuse of proxy variables at the data input stage; (2) strengthening transparency and auditing in algorithmic decision-making; and (3) establishing an outcome-oriented mechanism for anti-discrimination liability and rights protection.

Recent legal challenges to state abortion laws argue that abortion is necessary to protect women’s mental health. This paper reviews the relevant research literature on the relationship between abortion and various mental health outcomes. Despite multiple studies hypothesizing that abortion may be therapeutic for pregnant women with mental health conditions, there are no empirically established mental health benefits of abortion. There is, however, substantial empirical evidence that abortion worsens mental health outcomes for at least some women, particularly those with pre- existing mental health conditions. While the nature and degree of mental health risks from abortion remains a disputed question, we offer some conclusions that find strong support in the existing research literature.

The relevance of the study lies in the contrasting perspectives on the legalisation and decriminalisation of soft drugs beyond their medical applications. Although there is ongoing public discussion over the benefits of legalizing soft drugs, Ukraine’s current legal system does not represent a cohesive strategy. The study aims to conduct a substantiated study of the disadvantages and advantages of the legalisation of soft drugs at the state level, with a forecast of risks associated with the introduction of permissive mechanisms for their use for recreational purposes, and to compare national peculiarities with the positions of legislators of other countries and existing experience in this area. To achieve this goal, the method of analysing approaches and instruments for regulating drug trafficking at the supranational and local levels of different countries.

This article critically examines the ethical dimensions of utilizing Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)-based First Person Authorization (FPA) for organ donation. While ostensibly designed to uphold patient autonomy, DMV-based FPA raises significant ethical concerns due to its lack of informed consent and limited impact on organ donation rates. Drawing on principles of autonomy, informed consent, and medical ethics, this article argues for a reevaluation of current practices and proposes alternative approaches that prioritize genuine informed decision-making.

Each of us began our existence as a human embryo, and from our embryonic beginnings, we experience continuous development and differentiation throughout life.2 As medical professionals who live out the Hippocratic Oath3, we have a compelling responsibility to the human beings under our care. As medical professionals in Obstetrics and Gynecology, we have a long history of recognizing that both the pregnant mother and the human being in her womb are our patients. “Through quality perinatal care, the specialty promotes the health and well-being of the pregnant woman and her fetus.”4 We have the privilege and responsibility to care for both of them. Our responsibility to care for our youngest patients begins when a new human organism begins.