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Should Selecting Saviour Siblings be Banned?

Sheldon, Sally, Wilkinson, Stephen (2004) Should Selecting Saviour Siblings be Banned? Journal of Medical Ethics, 30 (6). pp. 533-537. ISSN 0306-6800. (doi:10.1136/jme.2003.004150) (KAR id:1449)

Abstract

By using tissue typing in conjunction with preimplantation genetic diagnosis doctors are able to pick a human embryo for implantation which, if all goes well, will become a "saviour sibling", a brother or sister capable of donating life-saving tissue to an existing child.

This paper addresses the question of whether this form of selection should be banned and concludes that it should not. Three main prohibitionist arguments are considered and found wanting: (a) the claim that saviour siblings would be treated as commodities; (b) a slippery slope argument, which suggests that this practice will lead to the creation of so-called "designer babies"; and (c) a child welfare argument, according to which saviour siblings will be physically and/or psychologically harmed.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1136/jme.2003.004150
Additional information: Publisher's Version Available at: http://jme.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/30/6/533
Uncontrolled keywords: designer babies; HFEA; PGD; saviour siblings; tissue typing
Subjects: K Law
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > Kent Law School
Depositing User: A. Davies
Date Deposited: 19 Dec 2007 18:57 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:40 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/1449 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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