Latest news with #EtienneEmileBaulieu
National Post
2 days ago
- Health
- National Post
French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, inventor of the abortion pill, dies at 98
ROME — French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, best known as the inventor of the abortion pill, died on Friday aged 98 at his home in Paris, his institute said in a statement. Article content Both a doctor and a researcher, Baulieu was known around the world for the scientific, medical and social significance of his work on steroid hormones. Article content 'His research was guided by his attachment to the progress made possible by science, his commitment to women's freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,' the Institut Baulieu said in the statement posted on its website. Article content Born Etienne Blum in Strasbourg on Dec. 12, 1926, he took the name 'Emile Baulieu' when he joined the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation at the age of 15. Article content Article content An endocrinologist with a doctorate in medicine completed in 1955 and one in science eight years later, in 1963 Baulieu founded a pioneering research unit working on hormones at INSERM, the French institute for health and medical research. He remained as head of the unit until 1997. Article content He is best known for his development, in 1982, of RU 486, the so-called 'abortion pill' that changed the lives of millions of women throughout the world, offering them the possibility of voluntary medical termination of pregnancy, in physical and psychological safety. Article content The Institut Baulieu said it was 'a non-invasive method, less aggressive and less delayed than surgery,' noting that following his discovery the researcher faced fierce criticism and even threats from opponents of women's abortion rights. Article content Article content 'Even today, access to this method is opposed, banned in some countries, and is currently being challenged in the United States, where it is the most widely used abortion method,' the institute added. Article content Article content Baulieu's research into DHEA, a hormone whose secretion and anti-aging activity he had discovered, led him to work on neurosteroids — or steroids of the nervous system. He also developed an original treatment to combat depression, for which a clinical trial is currently underway in several university hospitals. Article content In 2008, he founded the Institut Baulieu to understand, prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Article content Honored with the grand crosses of the Legion d'honneur (legion of honor) and the Ordre national du Merite (national order of merit), he was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1982, which he chaired in 2003 and 2004.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, inventor of the abortion pill, dies at 98
ROME (AP) — French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, best known as the inventor of the abortion pill, died on Friday aged 98 at his home in Paris, his institute said in a statement. Both a doctor and a researcher, Baulieu was known around the world for the scientific, medical and social significance of his work on steroid hormones. 'His research was guided by his attachment to the progress made possible by science, his commitment to women's freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,' the Institut Baulieu said in the statement posted on its website. Born Etienne Blum in Strasbourg on Dec. 12, 1926, he took the name 'Émile Baulieu' when he joined the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation at the age of 15. An endocrinologist with a doctorate in medicine completed in 1955 and one in science eight years later, in 1963 Baulieu founded a pioneering research unit working on hormones at INSERM, the French institute for health and medical research. He remained as head of the unit until 1997. He is best known for his development, in 1982, of RU 486, the so-called 'abortion pill' that changed the lives of millions of women throughout the world, offering them the possibility of voluntary medical termination of pregnancy, in physical and psychological safety. The Institut Baulieu said it was 'a non-invasive method, less aggressive and less delayed than surgery,' noting that following his discovery the researcher faced fierce criticism and even threats from opponents of women's abortion rights. 'Even today, access to this method is opposed, banned in some countries, and is currently being challenged in the United States, where it is the most widely used abortion method,' the institute added. Baulieu's research into DHEA, a hormone whose secretion and anti-aging activity he had discovered, led him to work on neurosteroids -- or steroids of the nervous system. He also developed an original treatment to combat depression, for which a clinical trial is currently underway in several university hospitals. In 2008, he founded the Institut Baulieu to understand, prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Honored with the grand crosses of the Légion d'honneur (legion of honor) and the Ordre national du Mérite (national order of merit), he was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1982, which he chaired in 2003 and 2004. He was a member of the national advisory committee on life sciences and health (1996-2002) and received numerous awards, both in France and abroad. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Baulieu in a post on X, calling him 'a beacon of courage' and 'a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom.' 'Few French people have changed the world to such an extent,' he added. After the death of his first wife, Yolande Compagnon, he remarried, to Simone Harari Baulieu. He is survived by three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, his institute said.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
French scientist behind abortion pill dies aged 98
Etienne-Emile Baulieu was awarded the prestigious Lasker prize in 1989. (AFP pic) PARIS : French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the inventor of the abortion pill, died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris today, his wife told AFP. The doctor and researcher, who achieved worldwide renown for his work that led to the pill, had an eventful life that included fighting in the French resistance and becoming friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. 'His research was guided by his commitment to the progress made possible by science, his dedication to women's freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,' Baulieu's wife Simone Harari Baulieu said in a statement. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to his life, calling him 'a beacon of courage' and 'a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom'. 'Few French people have changed the world to such an extent,' he added in a post on X. Baulieu's most famous discovery helped create the oral drug RU-486, also known as mifepristone, which provided a safe and inexpensive alternative to surgical abortion to millions of women across the world. For decades, he pushed governments to authorise the drug, facing fierce criticism and sometimes threats from opponents of abortion. When Wyoming became the first US state to outlaw the abortion pill in 2023, Baulieu told AFP it was 'scandalous'. Then aged 96, Baulieu said he had dedicated a large part of his life to 'increasing the freedom of women', and such bans were a step in the wrong direction. On news of his death, French equality minister Aurore Berge passed on her condolences to Baulieu's family, saying on X he was 'guided throughout his life by one requirement: human dignity'. 'Fascinated by artists' Born on Dec 12, 1926 in Strasbourg to Jewish parents, Etienne Blum was raised by his feminist mother after his father, a doctor, died. He changed his name to Emile Baulieu when he joined the French resistance against Nazi occupation at the age of 15, then later adding Etienne. After the war, he became a self-described 'doctor who does science', specialising in the field of steroid hormones. Invited to work in the US, Baulieu was noticed in 1961 by Gregory Pincus, known as the father of the contraceptive pill, who convinced him to focus on sex hormones. Back in France, Baulieu designed a way to block the effect of the hormone progesterone, which is essential for the egg to implant in the uterus after fertilisation. This led to the development of mifepristone in 1982. Dragged before the courts and demonised by US anti-abortion groups who accused him of inventing a 'death pill', Baulieu refused to back down. 'Adversity slides off him like water off a duck's back,' Simone Harari Baulieu told AFP. 'You, a Jew and a resistance fighter, you were overwhelmed with the most atrocious insults and even compared to Nazi scientists,' Macron said as he presented Baulieu with France's top honour in 2023. 'But you held on, for the love of freedom and science.' In the 1960s, literature fan Baulieu became friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. He said he was 'fascinated by artists who claim to have access to the human soul, something that will forever remain beyond the reach of scientists'. Alzheimer's, depression research Baulieu kept going into his Parisian office well into his mid-90s. 'I would be bored if I did not work anymore,' he said in 2023. His recent research has included trying to find a way to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease, as well as a treatment for severe depression, for which clinical trials are currently underway across the world. 'There is no reason we cannot find treatments' for both illnesses, he said. Baulieu was also the first to describe how the hormone DHEA secreted from adrenal glands in 1963. He was convinced of the hormone's anti-ageing abilities, but drugs using it only had limited effects, such as in skin-firming creams. In the US, Baulieu was also awarded the prestigious Lasker prize in 1989. After his wife Yolande Compagnon died, Baulieu married Simone Harari in 2016. He leaves behind three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, according to the statement released by his family.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Abortion pill inventor Etienne-Emile Baulieu dies aged 98
PARIS, May 31 — French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the inventor of the abortion pill, died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris yesterday, his wife told AFP. The doctor and researcher, who achieved worldwide renown for his work that led to the pill, had an eventful life that included fighting in the French resistance and becoming friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. 'His research was guided by his commitment to the progress made possible by science, his dedication to women's freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,' Baulieu's wife Simone Harari Baulieu said in a statement. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to his life, calling him 'a beacon of courage' and 'a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom'. 'Few French people have changed the world to such an extent,' he added in a post on X. Baulieu's most famous discovery helped create the oral drug RU-486, also known as mifepristone, which provided a safe and inexpensive alternative to surgical abortion to millions of women across the world. For decades, he pushed governments to authorise the drug, facing fierce criticism and sometimes threats from opponents of abortion. When Wyoming became the first US state to outlaw the abortion pill in 2023, Baulieu told AFP it was 'scandalous'. Then aged 96, Baulieu said he had dedicated a large part of his life to 'increasing the freedom of women,' and such bans were a step in the wrong direction. On news of his death, French Equality Minister Aurore Berge passed on her condolences to Baulieu's family, saying on X he was 'guided throughout his life by one requirement: human dignity.' 'Fascinated by artists' Born on December 12, 1926 in Strasbourg to Jewish parents, Etienne Blum was raised by his feminist mother after his father, a doctor, died. He changed his name to Emile Baulieu when he joined the French resistance against Nazi occupation at the age of 15, then later adding Etienne. After the war, he became a self-described 'doctor who does science,' specialising in the field of steroid hormones. Invited to work in the United States, Baulieu was noticed in 1961 by Gregory Pincus, known as the father of the contraceptive pill, who convinced him to focus on sex hormones. Back in France, Baulieu designed a way to block the effect of the hormone progesterone, which is essential for the egg to implant in the uterus after fertilisation. This led to the development of mifepristone in 1982. Dragged before the courts and demonised by US anti-abortion groups who accused him of inventing a 'death pill', Baulieu refused to back down. 'Adversity slides off him like water off a duck's back,' Simone Harari Baulieu told AFP. 'You, a Jew and a resistance fighter, you were overwhelmed with the most atrocious insults and even compared to Nazi scientists,' Macron said as he presented Baulieu with France's top honour in 2023. 'But you held on, for the love of freedom and science.' In the 1960s, literature fan Baulieu became friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. He said he was 'fascinated by artists who claim to have access to the human soul, something that will forever remain beyond the reach of scientists.' Alzheimer's, depression research Baulieu kept going into his Parisian office well into his mid-90s. 'I would be bored if I did not work anymore,' he said in 2023. His recent research has included trying to find a way to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease, as well as a treatment for severe depression, for which clinical trials are currently underway across the world. 'There is no reason we cannot find treatments' for both illnesses, he said. Baulieu was also the first to describe how the hormone DHEA secreted from adrenal glands in 1963. He was convinced of the hormone's anti-ageing abilities, but drugs using it only had limited effects, such as in skin-firming creams. In the United States, Baulieu was also awarded the prestigious Lasker prize in 1989. After his wife Yolande Compagnon died, Baulieu married Simone Harari in 2016. He leaves behind three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, according to the statement released by his family. — AFP
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Abortion pill inventor Etienne-Emile Baulieu dies, aged 98
By Benedicte Rey and Isabelle Tourne, AFP The inventor of the abortion pill Etienne-Emile Baulieu died at home in Paris on Friday. Photo: Joel Saget French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the inventor of the abortion pill, has died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris, according to his wife. The doctor and researcher, who achieved worldwide renown for his work that led to the pill, had an eventful life that included fighting in the French Resistance and becoming friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. "His research was guided by his commitment to the progress made possible by science, his dedication to women's freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives," Baulieu's wife Simone Harari Baulieu said in a statement on Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Baulieu's life, calling him "a beacon of courage" and "a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom". "Few French people have changed the world to such an extent," he added in a post on X. Baulieu's most famous discovery helped create the oral drug RU-486, also known as mifepristone, which provided a safe and inexpensive alternative to surgical abortion to millions of women across the world. For decades, he pushed governments to authorise the drug, facing fierce criticism and sometimes threats from opponents of abortion. When Wyoming became the first US state to outlaw the abortion pill in 2023, Baulieu told AFP it was "scandalous". Then aged 96, Baulieu said he had dedicated a large part of his life to "increasing the freedom of women", and such bans were a step in the wrong direction. On news of his death, French Equality Minister Aurore Berge passed on her condolences to Baulieu's family, saying on X he was "guided throughout his life by one requirement: human dignity". Born on 12 December, 1926 in Strasbourg to Jewish parents, Etienne Blum was raised by his feminist mother after his father, a doctor, died. He changed his name to Emile Baulieu when he joined the French Resistance against Nazi occupation at the age of 15, then later adding Etienne. After the war, he became a self-described "doctor who does science," specialising in the field of steroid hormones. Invited to work in the United States, Baulieu was noticed in 1961 by Gregory Pincus, known as the father of the contraceptive pill, who convinced him to focus on sex hormones. Back in France, Baulieu designed a way to block the effect of the hormone progesterone, which is essential for the egg to implant in the uterus after fertilisation. This led to the development of mifepristone in 1982. Dragged before the courts and demonised by US anti-abortion groups who accused him of inventing a "death pill", Baulieu refused to back down. "Adversity slides off him like water off a duck's back," Simone Harari Baulieu told AFP. "You, a Jew and a Resistance fighter, you were overwhelmed with the most atrocious insults and even compared to Nazi scientists," Macron said as he presented Baulieu with France's top honour in 2023. "But you held on, for the love of freedom and science." In the 1960s, literature fan Baulieu became friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. He said he was "fascinated by artists who claim to have access to the human soul, something that will forever remain beyond the reach of scientists". Baulieu kept going into his Parisian office well into his mid-90s. "I would be bored if I did not work anymore," he said in 2023. His recent research has included trying to find a way to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease, as well as a treatment for severe depression, for which clinical trials are currently underway across the world. "There is no reason we cannot find treatments" for both illnesses, he said. Baulieu was also the first to describe how the hormone DHEA secreted from adrenal glands in 1963. He was convinced of the hormone's anti-ageing abilities, but drugs using it only had limited effects, such as in skin-firming creams. In the United States, Baulieu was also awarded the prestigious Lasker prize in 1989. After his wife Yolande Compagnon died, Baulieu married Simone Harari in 2016. He leaves behind three children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, according to the statement released by his family. - AFP
