For decades, the Roman Catholic Church opposed use of condoms to prevent spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI) because of their contraceptive effect. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI said that widespread use of condoms could worsen the situation, a position rejected as 'unscientific'. Recently, however the Pontiff stated that because the Church considers acts of prostitution and homosexuality to be gravely immoral and disordered, in such specific cases use of a condom might become an initial step in the direction of a moralization leading to an assumption of responsibility and a new awareness of the meaning of sexuality. In doing so, he reaffirmed his belief that condoms cannot solve the problem of STI spread, stressing the Church's position that modern societies no longer see sexuality as an 'expression of love, but only as a sort of drug that people administer to themselves'. The new Papal position has been widely applauded, but made conservative Catholics unhappy. A dialogue with the Church now seems possible: Does concentrating on condoms hinder the effectiveness of other strategies? What are the respective roles of condoms and other approaches to prevent infection spread? Does a special situation exist in Africa requiring specific and focused interventions?

In 2004, The Italian Constitutional Court prohibited treatments involving gamate donation, embryo donation, embryo cryopreservation (except under exceptional circumstances), and the transfer of more than three embryos. Basically three statements were made by the Court: the ban violates a couple's fundamental right to health, to self-determination and to have a child. Here, the consequences of such a decision and the legal challenges that ensued are discussed.

Technological advances in the field of reproductive biology have enabled couples considered infertile to conceive and have healthy babies, causing a revolution in culture and customs. Today the independence of sex and reproduction is established and in the future human reproduction may move even further away from the sexual act, an option definitely unacceptable to some ethicists.

Men's violent sexual behaviour has often been interpreted as a consequence of blind sexual drive. Today, however, aggressive behaviour is considered to be sensitive to and influenced by environmental cues. Eradication is possible and efforts to eliminate gender-based violence should be intensified.