GS4 · UPSC Mains
Sahdev and Aparna had a son named Abhijeet who was diagnosed with thalassemia minor when he was just a few months old. Abhijeet thus, needed blood transfusion every three weeks, resulting in chronic weakness and a compromised immune system resulting in frequent illnesses. The permanent cure for Abhijeet's ailment was bone transplant, but due to no match in the family, it was not possible. The couple then found out about the concept of 'saviour sibling' and decided to go ahead with it. A saviour sibling is a child conceived through selective In vitro fertilization (IVF) as a potential source of donor organs or cells for an existing brother or sister with a life-threatening medical condition. After many attempts, the couple finally gave birth to a healthy baby girl Kavya, who matched the criteria to be a donor for Abhijeet. However, Kavya had to grow and weigh 10 kg before she could donate stem cells for transplantation to save her critically ill brother. While the procedure of donating stem cells is not dangerous, it would be extremely painful. a) List the ethical arguments for and against the 'saviour child therapy'. Do you believe that it is ethical for a parent to give consent for donation of stem cells on behalf of infants? b) If the procedure also included risk to the life of the new born baby, would it still be a prudent therapy? Justify your answer.
| Topper | Rank | Source | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divya Mishra | — | Forumias | p.33 |
| Karishma Nair | — | Forumias | p.31 |