Question

Stem cells are often genetically modified to use them in gene therapy for congenital or genetic diseases. Which of the following is a major ethical issue associated with embryonic stem cell therapy?

• A. The genetic integrity of the patient is compromised
• B. Risk of unwanted abortions for obtaining embryonic stem cells
• C. High cost involved with stem cell therapy
• D. Both b and c

Answer 1

The correct option is D Both b and c

Stem cells are undifferentiated totipotent cells that can divide indefinitely for self-renewal and have the ability to differentiate into different types of specialized cells.
Totipotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into an entire organism.
Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) are totipotent stem cells isolated from early embryos at the blastula stage. Stem cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease. Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem cell therapy without any controversy. It can be used to provide a cure for diseases caused due to defective genes. It involves introducing a genetically modified embryonic stem cell, carrying the functional gene, inside the patient’s body. This helps to replace the defective genes as the normal gene takes over.
Embryonic stem cells have certain abilities like indefinite cell division and totipotency, which have made them theoretically potential treatment resources for diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, leukaemia, etc. Thus, they are in high demand for research purposes and are purchased by institutions at high prices. This leads to a scenario where many hospitals, fertility clinics or abortion centres might illegaly induce unwanted abortions to obtain embryonic stem cells.

Stem cell therapy requires state of the art infrastructure and expertise. Consequently it is highly expensive in recent times and is not a line of treatment that can be afforded by the masses. Thus high cost involved with stem cell therapy is another ethical issue associated with it.

Using embryonic stem cells for gene therapy does not compromise the patient’s genetic composition. This is because only the functional counterpart of the defective gene is introduced into the patient’s body. It does not involve introduction of genes from other organisms and hence genetic integrity of the patient is maintained.