ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 174

child will live or die of natural causes. Therefore, Jainism will not favor abortion for the reason of birth defects.
Should pre-mature delivery of child born under 3.0 lbs or child born with physical and/or mental disabilities be saved? With advent of neonatal intensive care units every attempt is made to save every child at least in western world. These children do grow up with disabilities from slow learning to obvious physical disabilities. Cost of such treatment is about an average of $160,000 per child.
Jainism will definitely support such treatment as every life has same rights to live. As far as disabilities are concerned, Jainism will explain the same on the theory of karma.
4.4 Should Animal Transplant Be Given to Humans?
Five-pound infant baby Fae was given a heart transplant of a seven-month-old female baboon by Dr. Leonard Baily of Loma Linda University in California. Baby Fae survived 21 days.
Animal rights group protested against use of baboon as organ factories. Jaina view is very clear here that life of the baboon is equally precious as the life of baby Fae and that this will be an act of murder, violation of the principle of nonviolence. My personal view is that this is one life sacrificed for saving one life; this is not an experiment on animal to save disease process or entire humanity at large and therefore is not acceptable.
4.5 Ethics of Gene Therapy and Genetic Engineering With completion of human genome project 100,000 genes were identified and DNA straight in the nucleus and put into sequence gave scientist the ability to read nature's complete blue print for understanding disease process and may be for creating a human being. Dr. W. French Anderson the father of gene therapy predicts that human genetic engineering will not only profoundly change the practice of medicines, but will impact every aspect of our culture. Down the road doctors will be able to give us DNA finger prints of genes that predispose us to common kinds of diseases, a computer will then be able to read genetic profile, and help doctors someday diagnose diseases before they occur and dispense medical directives. Gene therapy is based on an understanding of the body in which genes provide the system
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
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