The saviour sibling is a child who was created to donate body parts compatible with Human leukocyte Antigen (HLA), in order to save an older sibling’s life. It’s usually umbilical-cord blood used for an older sibling’s bone marrow. IVF allows for the creation of these children. Embryos are screened to ensure that they match exactly with their sibling’s DNA. Bone marrow is needed to treat certain diseases like leukaemias. Bone marrow donation requires that the donor is immunologically compatible with the recipient. It is most likely that a family member will match the recipient’s HLA.
In 2000, the United States recorded the birth of the first saviour brother or sister. Jack Nash was born by Lisa and Jack Nash as a cure for Molly’s Fanconi Anaemia. Fanconi Anaemia is a rare disease that causes DNA damage. Even though it is a rare disease, scientists have gained a great deal of knowledge from studying this condition. Jack’s conception was good for both the family of the child and for medical advancement, but it raised some moral issues. Megan Mathews (9 years old) from Norfolk in 2003 became the UK’s first saviour-sibling. Megan was also suffering from Fanconi Anaemia. Her body couldn’t produce blood, causing her to experience transitions and infections every few weeks. Megan’s parents had always intended to have a second child, but the chances of having a genetic match were only 1 in 4.
Is it morally wrong for parents who have children to do so solely to save the lives of dying siblings? Is it really the child’s desire to be born or are they just there as a means? When the child is old enough to understand their purpose, how will they feel?
Parents are attempting to determine whether or not it is ethically right to have saviour sibling. Parents who didn’t want to have a child or are having one just to save the other child may be violating ethical standards.
Desperation is the main reason for saviour siblings. Parents want to keep their firstborn alive as would any other parent. They make this decision without thinking about it, out of desperation. In their desperation, they may have done everything possible to save the firstborn. Desperation is not a good thing if parents wanted another sibling before their older child became sick. In the long run, this may make the younger brother or sister feel like they were not valued and that their older sibling was the only one who wanted them. The younger sibling may feel superior because they are the ones who have kept the family together. They think that they deserve to be more valued.
