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The article discusses the approval of resolution on the patenting of biotechnological inventions in the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. The Parliament supported biotechnology but insisted on an appropriate framework which guarantees the respect of ethical, environmental and health aspects. Therapeutic cloning and the limit of the patent protection were matters of contention among different political groups. There was an argument that germ cells are part of the human body and therefore are not patentable.

The article focuses on a study published in the "Toxicology" journal which revealed that glyphosate-based herbicides are toxic to human reproductive cells. French researchers have found that at low levels that are currently legal on human food, Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides could cause DNA damage, endocrine disruption and cell death. Health risks associated with Roundup exposure include infertility, low sperm count and prostate or testicular cancer. It explains the effects of mixing Roundup with solvents and surfactants.

Information about the 19th Colloque Médecine et Recherche of the Fondation Ipsen in the Neuroscience series Epigenetics, Brain and Behavior held in Paris, France on April 18, 2011 is presented. Topics include the relevance of epigenetic regulation on the links between nervous system function and behavior in health and disease. The conference features several scientists including Peter Becker, Shelley Berger, and Anne Schaefer.