A couple in Minnesota gave birth to their first child, Molly, in 1996. Molly was diagnosed with Fanconi's anemia, a rare blood condition with no known cure. Sufferers of Fanconi's anemia usually die in their 20's.
Molly's parents used in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive their next child. Once IVF had produced several embryos, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis was used to screen them both for absence of Fanconi's anemia and also for suitability as a donor for Molly. Molly's younger brother, Adam, was born in 2001, and his umbilical cord blood was used for an infusion that cured Molly.
Was it ethical for Molly's parents to use PGD to produce a sibling donor for Molly?
I'm not sure if I myself would consider this ethical, because the child is being used as a tool for their sibling, not because the couple wanted to raise another child.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there is a chance that the child would be proud of saving their sibling, but due to my attitudes on things now, and assuming that I had a similar upbringing, I would feel less loved. I'd feel as though I was raised for someone else's benefit. That I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my sister's problem.
The child was genetically engineered, this could lead to more genetic engineering to more extremes.
Also, there are so many people in the world, and several children being born around similar times. Why not use stem cell blood from another child instead of modifying an unborn one?
However Stephanie raised a good point, and that a good mother would have done anything for her child.
I honestly am not sure as to whether or not this would be ethical, I can see and understand both points of view, but I can't imagine the situation, nor can I relate whatsoever. I must say I'm on the fence about this, and the discussion was rather eye opening.
I see no reason why someone should not be 'farmed' for pieces, as (i think Luke) mentioned. the obvious counter-argument for that statement is "how would one put a value on life" or some such nonsense, but there is no reason not to. A life has no value until it is created, and then the value is determined by what is intended for that life. If you are born to be (as an extreme case) cut up for others to live, think of it this way- you would not exist otherwise. And anyways, along the farm thought which is the basis for my current train of thought, the only thing which separates us (people) from cows and/or pigs is our level of intelligence. if a human is born to a farm, and summarily 'farmed' they won't have to worry about that. I am heavily on the side saying "the mother was well within her rights to make the kid" or the "for" as opposed to "against". It was logical. Emilija, i cannot think of any fool-proof argument for why the mother would not just use some other kid, but i would say the thought simply never occurred to her
ReplyDeleteWell, as I read through this moral debacle while munching brownies I wondered why Adam would really care because without him being born his sister would be a corpse decomposing in the ground, he never would have gotten a shot at life, and his parents would be depressed. So in my opinion, in this case the end justifies the means.
ReplyDeletewell they did this whole thing when she was what, seven? they had thirteen years to find a solution, why rush?
ReplyDeleteI still say they could have found another donor, especially in that time period.
Yea, suffers of FA usually die in their 20's but I would imagine that the risk would only increase with age, not to mention other complications that could develop. It makes sense that they would want to cure her as soon as possible. I agree that they could have just found another donor and if it's possible to cure Molly another way, that would definitely be better. But what if there was no compatible donor? Also there's always a chance that the stem cell transplant will be rejected by the patient. When the donor's stem cells more closely match the patients' the chances of a successful transplant are much higher. I guess this is where Adam comes in. I mean, do you do nothing even though you know that there is a chance she might be cured? Isn't that a bit unethical too? I don't know, but I don't think what Molly's parents did was completely unethical. I guess it depends on their intentions. Doing whatever they could to save Molly makes their decision seem ethical but using PGD to create a child to guarantee a donor doesn't seem so ethical to me anymore. I mean if they follow through with it, Molly can be cured, but then there's the psychological impact on Adam. This would also of course mean that Adam would not have inherited the fatal blood disorder. I can't say whether or not their decision was ethical - I feel like I need to know their reasons behind the decision they made.
ReplyDeleteYes, I feel it was ethical for Molly's parents to use PGD to produce a sibling donor for Molly because in my opinon, the only ethical choice for her parents in this situation was to do whatever they could in their power to save their only child at the time.
ReplyDeleteThe option they were given in order to save Molly at the time was by use of PGD and as a parent, I feel like taking this offer was the ethical choice rather than doing nothing and knowing their child would live a short life, even though there was a chance that could be prevented.
Also, vitro fertilization is a process that has been around for many years now, and has proven to be both safe and successful. I also feel that science is constantly evolving and trying to say that a procedure such as this would create bigger problems, is almost unrealistic as science will constantly move forward regardless as we have seen in the use of flu shots and blood transfusions etc. and we should not be trying to hold back science.
This being said, I agree in saying that the decision made by Molly's parents is ethical.
The ends always justify the means
ReplyDeleteTo Willowran, when my friends and I kill you and your family to protect mankind from the oncoming plague, we'll use that to justify ourselves.
ReplyDeletePersonally, it would be difficult for me to understand why my parents wouldn't do everything in their power to help and save me if I had that particular disease. I think it would be a lot easier to have a conversation with the unborn child years later to explain why they were born. Other than telling your 20 year old daughter on their death bed that they didn't want to have another child because helping their sibling might have hurt their feelings.
ReplyDeleteOUCH!!
ReplyDeleteactually, if i actually had a plague that would wipe out mankind i wouldn't begrudge you your action, snowpantsman.
what is the saying? something like "defense of the many over the few"
makes perfect sense