An item listed in our
"special needs in the news" post this morning tells the story of
Daniel Kerner, a six-year-old with
Batten disease who underwent an experimental procedure to reverse the fatal illness using stem cells from the brains of aborted fetuses. It's a procedure rife with ethical dilemmas -- not only due to the abortion issue and the stem-cell issue but because there is no proof whatsoever that this is a safe and effective thing to do to a small child. On the other hand, it's pretty sure that Batten disease is a terrible, suffering-filled way for a child to die, so there may be an ethical dilemma to
not trying any possible treatment, too. Reading about
Daniel and his family and their hopes for a miracle makes it hard to say, "You should not do this." But should they? Do you approve of treatments like this one? Select a response from the poll at right, then explain yourself in the comments.
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