UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis | 04 March 2022
What’s the article is about?
The article talks about the recent advances in science and technology and their ethical implications on society.
Syllabus: GS4, Ethics -Ethics and Human Interface.
New developments in Science?
- New smart glasses/spectacles by Ray-Ban/Facebook-branded as Stories.
- Xenotransplantation developments.
-
A gene-edited animal kidney is implanted in a brain-dead human.
-
A gene-edited animal heart is used as a replacement for the patient.
-
Organ farm to cultivate GM organs.
-
What does Xenotransplantation mean?
- Xenotransplantation involves the transplantation of nonhuman tissues or organs into human recipients.
- Xenotransplantation, or transplanting organs across different species, was first tried in humans in the 1980s.
- A heart from a pig that had undergone gene-editing has been used to remove sugar in its cells that’s responsible for that hyper-fast organ rejection.
Need of Xenotransplantation:
- Organ shortage and fewer donors: In the USA alone 90,000 persons are waiting for kidney transplants. In Germany around 8500 waiting for organs. In India, patients need 25,000-30,000 liver transplants annually. But only about 1,500 end up receiving them.
- Organ smuggling and trafficking: Lead to huge price in organs and availability became scarce.
- Increasing disease burden: Due to advancements in medicine, the average life expectancy has increased. Persons facing organ failure due to old age and lifestyle issues have increased the demand.
Advantages of Xenotransplantation:
- Availability: Organs will be available immediately and selectively.
- Eliminate illegal organ trafficking: Easy availability of organs reduces the demand and hence decreases illegal organ trafficking.
- Pig organs have similarities to human organs
- The unlimited supply will allow transplantation procedures in ‘borderline’ candidates who might otherwise be declined.
- Open New Research Areas: This would open new research about treating illnesses meaning that different animals have individual ways of fighting infections and through xenotransplantation, humans might be able to cure deadly diseases.
Ethical Issues in Xenotransplantation:
- Animal rights: Many, including animal rights groups, strongly oppose killing animals to harvest their organs for human use.
- Informed consent: Autonomy and informed consent are important when considering the future uses of xenotransplantation.
- Utilitarian Dilemma: Whether the health of human matter or health of animal matters the most.
- Anthropocentric: Harvesting pigs or animals to source organs for human needs make again human-centric in the ecology that may be consequences in the environment.
- Equality: Transplantation being a very expensive affair, the poor or marginal might be neglected giving preference to the rich.
- Long-term functioning of organs: Many animals like pigs have a shorter lifespan than humans, meaning that their tissues age at a quicker rate.
- Medical Implications: animal-to-human transplantation brings with it huge risks for the patient.
Art 51A of the Indian constitution talks about the scientific temper everyone should develop in order to boost debate and also to bring the ethical and legality of Xenotransplantation.
Recent Articles
- An exchange – Analyzing the Vaibhav Fellowship Program | 26 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- India’s problem — different drugs, identical brand names – Drug Name Confusion Threatens Patient Safety in India | 25 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- The truth about India’s booming toy exports – Protectionism or Productivity? | 24 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- Tax contribution by States needs to be revisited – Time to Recognize State Efficiency through Tax Contribution | 23 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- A revival of the IMEC idea amid choppy geopolitics – Could India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) become the New Silk Road? | 22 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- Gearing up for change – Monsoon Trends in India: Analyzing the Impact on Agriculture and Climate Resilience | 20 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- Crafting a new phase in India-U.K. defence ties – Strengthening India-U.K. Defense Cooperation | 19 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- Turning around Indian Ports – Enhancing India’s Global Competitiveness through Port Efficiency | 18 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- A dated urban vision – Mumbai Trans Harbour Link: A Dated Mode of City-Making from Times Past | 17 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
- Tensions in Red Sea – Red Sea Threats Disrupt India’s Trade Flows | 16 January 2024 | UPSC Daily Editorial Analysis
Popular Articles
- UPSC CSE 2022 Mains GS 1 Paper Model Answers
- Model Answers for UPSC CSE 2021 GS 2 Paper
- SPR 2023 | SPECIES IN NEWS
- UPSC CSE 2023 Mains GS 2 Paper Model Answers
- Model Answers for UPSC CSE 2020 GS 2 Paper
- UPSC CSE 2023 Mains GS 1 Paper Model Answers
- PDS: objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping
- Land Revenue System during British rule in India
- Govt policies & interventions for development in various sectors, and issues arising out of their design and implementation
- UPSC CSE 2022 Mains GS 2 Paper Model Answers
Popular Topics
ART & CULTURE
CASE STUDIES
COMMITTEES & SUMMITS
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
ECONOMICS
ECONOMICS PREMIUM
ECONOMICS STATIC
ECONOMIC SURVEY
EDITORIAL
ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY
ENVIRONMENT PREMIUM
ETHICS
GEOGRAPHY
GEOGRAPHY PREMIUM
GEOGRAPHY STATIC
HEALTH
HISTORY
HISTORY PREMIUM
HISTORY STATIC
INDIAN POLITY
INDIAN POLITY PREMIUM
INDIAN POLITY STATIC
INTEGRITY & APTITUDE
INTERNAL SECURITY & DEFENSE
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
LITE SUBSCRIPTION PREMIUM
MAINS
MAINS CORNER PREMIUM
PLUS SUBSCRIPTION PREMIUM
POLITY & GOVERNANCE
PRELIMS
PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE
PRO SUBSCRIPTION PREMIUM
REPORTS
SAMAJHO'S CORNER PREMIUM
SAMAJHO ANALYSIS
SAMAJHO CORNER PREMIUM
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
SELF PREPARATION
SMAP ANSWER WRITING
SOCIETY
SPR
SYLLABUS
TELEGRAM
YOJANA GIST