Monday, March 29, 2004
UK government funds "saviour sibling"
The UK's National Health Service is to pay for the creation of a "designer baby" whose bone marrow or cells will be used to save the life of a sibling. Doctors will conduct tests on an unnamed couple's IVF embryos to find one that is a genetic match for its sibling and is clear of the rare blood disease beta thalassaemia major. (This is a genetic form of anaemia leading to a lack of oxygen in the body.) The procedure has been licensed twice in Britain, but both cases
were privately funded. Two similar cases were reported in Australia earlier this month by Sydney IVF.
Only two years ago the novel procedure was being strongly opposed in British courts. Last April a Court of Appeal allowed it under strict conditions -- and now it is receiving government funding. The doctor treating the couple, Simon Fishel, hailed the move as a "visionary" breakthrough which would benefit a number of couples whose children
had similar problems. He said that on average three out of every 16 embryos created would be a genetic match and free of the disease.
Dr Fishel also said that saviour siblings were cost-effective. "The drugs and treatment [for children with thalassaemia]
could cost £1 to £2 million during their lifetime, or around £50,000 a year, so economically it would make sense to look
at alternatives," Dr Fishel said. The cost of a "saviour sibling" is only about £4,000.
Not all medical experts support the funding. Dr Sally Kinsey, of Leeds, who treats children with thalassaemia, told the Sunday Times that "we are discarding embryos that are normal (free of inherited disease but that do not have the right tissue type. I'm not sure we are clear enough about the ethics to be able to fund this on NHS."
Another consultant commented: "parents should be having children because they want children, not because they want to create a spare parts factory for other children."
(Full articles are in the Sunday Times, Mar 21; and The Scotsman, Mar 22; but are available online only by subscription.)
The UK's National Health Service is to pay for the creation of a "designer baby" whose bone marrow or cells will be used to save the life of a sibling. Doctors will conduct tests on an unnamed couple's IVF embryos to find one that is a genetic match for its sibling and is clear of the rare blood disease beta thalassaemia major. (This is a genetic form of anaemia leading to a lack of oxygen in the body.) The procedure has been licensed twice in Britain, but both cases
were privately funded. Two similar cases were reported in Australia earlier this month by Sydney IVF.
Only two years ago the novel procedure was being strongly opposed in British courts. Last April a Court of Appeal allowed it under strict conditions -- and now it is receiving government funding. The doctor treating the couple, Simon Fishel, hailed the move as a "visionary" breakthrough which would benefit a number of couples whose children
had similar problems. He said that on average three out of every 16 embryos created would be a genetic match and free of the disease.
Dr Fishel also said that saviour siblings were cost-effective. "The drugs and treatment [for children with thalassaemia]
could cost £1 to £2 million during their lifetime, or around £50,000 a year, so economically it would make sense to look
at alternatives," Dr Fishel said. The cost of a "saviour sibling" is only about £4,000.
Not all medical experts support the funding. Dr Sally Kinsey, of Leeds, who treats children with thalassaemia, told the Sunday Times that "we are discarding embryos that are normal (free of inherited disease but that do not have the right tissue type. I'm not sure we are clear enough about the ethics to be able to fund this on NHS."
Another consultant commented: "parents should be having children because they want children, not because they want to create a spare parts factory for other children."
(Full articles are in the Sunday Times, Mar 21; and The Scotsman, Mar 22; but are available online only by subscription.)
