DNA paternity tests in Spain without the mother's consent: the legal responsibility of the laboratories.

It is technically feasible to perform paternity diagnosis testing solely involving an alleged father and his descendent. However, there are serious legal and ethical problems for forensic genetics laboratories when it comes to paternity testing cases for investigating the alleged father-child relationship if the biological mother has not given consent to access her genetic information. Based on the Spanish Constitution, the new Code of Ethics of the Spanish Medical Association includes several articles on studies about genetic information and their acceptance by all the individuals involved. This problem is greater when the child is a minor, mentally incapacitated or psychologically incapable, because current Spanish law requires informed consent from legal representatives, but the law does not typify what happens when one parent gives consent (the putative father) and the other parent (the mother) does not agree. The aim of this study is to put forward legal solutions to avoid potential legal problems.

Drogas de abuso en detenidos en el juzgado de guardia: repercusión en el ámbito penal / Drugs of abuse in detainees at the Court: Criminal justice repercussion

Objetivos. El consumo de drogas no institucionalizadas tiene una importante dimensión epidemiológica. En la actualidad, aumenta el consumo de cocaína y de cannabis, y se estabiliza o disminuye el de opiáceos. En la mayoría de los países hay una relación entre la drogadicción y el delito. Los objetivos del estudio son: a) obtener datos sociodemográficos en una población detenida que pasa a disposición judicial; b) recoger datos sanitarios referentes a infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) y el virus de la hepatitis B (VHB) y C (VHC); c) obtener datos de consumo de cocaína, hachís, heroína, benzodiacepinas y drogas de síntesis y d) valorar la relación de la adicción a drogas con la delictología. Material y métodos. Estudio realizado en una población de 150 sujetos consumidores de drogas ilegales en los juzgados de guardia de la ciudad de Barcelona, durante un año y medio. Se ha administrado un cuestionario con datos sociodemográficos, sanitarios y de consumo de tóxicos. Obtención de una muestra de orina que se analizó por enzimoinmuno ensayo en el analizador AsXym (Abbott). Los resultados se interpretaron como positivos o negativos según el punto de corte establecido para el método. Resultados. El perfil de la muestra es un varón soltero, con estudios primarios y sin profesión tipificada. La droga ilegal más consumida es la cocaína(77,5 %), seguida de los opiáceos (62,9 %), de las benzodiacepinas en el 61,6 % (automedicadas40,9 %) y del cannabis (60,3 %). La prevalencia clínica del VIH fue del 16,7 %, del VHB del 19,1 % y del VHC del 37,9 %. El delito más relacionado con el consumo de drogas fue el hurto. Conclusiones. Se detecta un alto consumo de cocaína y una disminución del de heroína. El consumo (..) (AU)

Objective. The consumption of illicit drugs has an important epidemiological significance. Actually cocaine and cannabis use are increasing and opiates consumption is declining. Every where relation between drug abuse and delinquency is established. The aims of the study were: a) to determine sociodemographic data related to drug consumption in a jail detents sample at court department; b) to obtain healthy data referring to VIH, VHB and VHC infections; c) to obtain cocaine, hachis, heroine, benzodiazepines and synthesis drugs consume data and d) to evaluate the relation between the addiction to drugs with the delictology. Matherial and methods. Study realized in a population of 150 subject consumers of illegal drugs in the courts of policeman of the city of Barcelona, during a year and half (AU)

Intentional overdose and death with 3,4-methylenedioxyethamphetamine (MDEA; "Eve"): case report.

We report a case of suicide following ingestion of a large dose of 3,4-methylenedioxyethamphetamine (MDEA, "Eve") in a 27-year-old woman with a history of depression. Several days before her death, she had attempted suicide with benzodiazepines resulting in a 24-hour hospital admission; at that time, no physiologic abnormalities were detected. Findings on autopsy were nonspecific. Toxicologic analysis showed a high concentration of MDEA and the appearance of benzodiazepines in body fluids. Ethanol and other drugs of abuse were not found. We discuss the clinical manifestations, toxicologic syndromes, and mechanisms of death with amphetamine intoxication. MDEA intoxication in young people may result in sudden death.