Latest news with #Strasbourg
Associated Press
3 hours 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.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea star confirms he's snubbing surprise £50m Arsenal transfer in statement
Chelsea sent Andrey Santos out on loan to sister club Strasbourg and could reap the benefits in the summer transfer window after the Brazilian midfielder performed brilliantly Andrey Santos says he only has eyes for Chelsea after his sparkling form on loan at Strasbourg attracted attention from Arsenal. Santos is yet to make a single competitive appearance for Chelsea, but is already turning the heads of scouts thanks to a productive loan spell at the Blues' French sister club. The 21-year-old midfielder racked up 11 goals and five assists in 34 appearances in all competitions for Strasbourg in 2024/25. He was signed by Chelsea for £13million back in January 2023 from Brazilian side Vasco da Gama, but is still waiting for his first-team debut – something that has now been thrown into further doubt. Santos initially failed to get a work permit with Chelsea and was then loaned out to Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg to get game time. He has responded well, even captaining the French side on occasions, and there have been suggestions that Chelsea could cash in by selling the Brazilian for £50m, without him ever playing for the club. It was reported earlier this season that Arsenal were 'working hard' to sign Santos, while French giants Paris Saint-Germain are also interested. But Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has talked up Santos' potential ahead of possible involvement at the Club World Cup this summer, and the player himself is keen to have a shot at success with his parent club. 'Everyone knows about my love, my desire to play for Chelsea. Enzo Maresca was very sincere with me. I went to Strasbourg to get minutes. Now we'll see how it goes at the Club World Cup,' he told the Daily Mail. 'The affection from Chelsea fans is something very special as well. Ever since the news broke that I was going to Chelsea, they started sending me a lot of messages. Back when I was at Vasco, too. And I had the spell at Nottingham, where I didn't play, but they sent me messages there too, I'd see some posts, they'd tag me on Instagram and Twitter.' He appears to have the backing of Boehly, who has hinted that Santos would play at the upcoming Club World Cup. 'We are laser focused on the Club World Cup,' he said. 'We have some players that are joining us [like] Andrey Santos. We are really excited about him and what he can add to the squad.' HAVE YOUR SAY! Can Andrey Santos break into the Chelsea team next season? Comment below. However, Chelsea manager Maresca has sounded a more cautious note, knowing that he already has Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in central midfield, among others. 'Now, we know that Andrey is doing well,' he said earlier this season. 'But in this moment, we are just focused about how we finish this season. And then when we finish this season, we're going to start to think about next season.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Étienne-Émile Baulieu, French scientist who invented abortion pill, dies aged 98
French scientist Étienne-Émile Baulieu, the inventor of the abortion pill, has died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris. 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. 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 Bergé 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, Étienne Blum was raised by his feminist mother after his father, a doctor, died. He changed his when he joined the French resistance against Nazi occupation at the age of 15. 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,' French president Emmanuel 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 any more,' 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 under way 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 was 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 first 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.
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
French scientist behind abortion pill dies aged 98
The French scientist who created the abortion pill has died at the age of 98.Étienne-Émile Baulieu helped develop the oral drug RU-486, also known as mifepristone, which has provided millions of women across the world with a safe and inexpensive alternative to a surgical Baulieu died at his home in Paris on Friday, his widow confirmed in a Harari Baulieu said: "His research was guided by his commitment to progress through science, his dedication to women's freedom and his desire to enable everyone to live better and longer lives." French President Emmanuel Macron called Dr Baulieu "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 Bergé, France's gender equality minister, said Dr Baulieu "was guided throughout his life by one requirement: that of human dignity" in a post on Baulieu was born Étienne Blum on 12 December 1926 in Strasbourg. He changed his name to join the French resistance against the Nazi occupation when he was his graduation, he travelled to the United States where he worked with the man known as the father of the contraceptive pill, Dr Gregory Pincus. Dr Pincus advised him on focusing on sex in France, Dr Baulieu designed a method to block the effect of the hormone progesterone – which is essential for the egg to implant in the uterus following fertilisation. While the abortion pill was developed within 10 years, Dr Baulieu spent decades pushing international governments to authorise the drug despite facing fierce criticism and sometimes threats from opponents of World Health Organisation (WHO) added it to its list of essential medication only in him with the Grand Cross of the Legion d'Honneur in 2023, Macron said: "You, a Jew and a member of the resistance, were heaped with the most atrocious insults and compared to Nazi scientists."But you held firm, out of love for freedom and science."Upon Wyoming becoming the first US state to ban the abortion pill in 2023, Dr Baulieu noted he had spent a large part of his life trying to increase "the freedom of women", adding such bans were a step in the wrong recent research included trying to find a way to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease, as well as a treatment for severe depression.
CTV News
a day ago
- Health
- CTV News
Abortion pill inventor Etienne-Emile Baulieu dies aged 98
ARCHIVE: French scientist Professor Etienne-Emile Baulieu, creator of the DHEA molecule. (Photo by Eric Fougere/Sygma via Getty Images) French scientist Etienne-Emile Baulieu, known as the inventor of the abortion pill, died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris on Friday, 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. Baulieu's most well-known 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. His work meant he also faced fierce criticism and sometimes threats from opponents of abortion. After Wyoming became the first US state to outlaw the use of the abortion pill in 2023, Baulieu told AFP it was 'scandalous'. Baulieu said he had dedicated a large part of his life to 'increasing the freedom of women,' and the ban was a step in the opposite direction. '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. In the 1960s, the literature fan had become 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 Parisian office 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. French President Emmanuel Macron presented Baulieu with the Grand-Croix de la Legion d'Honneur in 2023, the top rank in France's honours system. 'You, a Jew and a resistance fighter, you were overwhelmed with the most atrocious insults and even compared to Nazi scientists,' Macron said. 'But you held on, for the love of freedom and science.' In the United States, Baulieu was also awarded the prestigious Lasker prize in 1989. The widower of Yolande Compagnon, 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.
