Severe Combined Immunodeficiency

Summary:

On September 21, 1971, an infant was born with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID). The family and physicians involved, knowing that the baby had an even chance of having the fatal illness, had the child delivered by cesarean section and then sealed in a plastic chamber. Frequent newspaper reports on â??David the bubble boyâ? continued through the years, as he was moved to larger and larger chambers. The absolute devotion of his family, coupled with approximately $200,000 per year in research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and extraordinary and imaginative technology, allowed David to remain free from contact with organisms and to celebrate his twelfth birthday. After attempted treatment of bone marrow previously treated using monoclonal antibodies, David died on February 22, 1984.

Answer this question:

If David were born next week instead of in 1971, do you think that we should begin the ever-more demanding bubble process? Whatever your answer, defend it using rational ethical criteria. © BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com March 21, 2019, 10:31 pm ad1c9bdddf
https://brainmass.com/health-sciences/health-care-ethics/severe-combined-immunodeficiency-420788

Solution Preview

I believe that if David were born next week instead of in 1971, we should begin the ever demanding bubble process. First and foremost, I believe that any individual that comes into this world has a right to live to the best of their ability, and it is our responsibility as brothers and sisters of the human race to help those individuals that are less fortunate than ourselves. In this case, David’s unfortunate health condition was a severe combined immunodeficiency disease, and this disease would make it necessary for others to help him in his fight for life and self-actualization. So in essence, it is my opinion that we should begin the bubble process in the present time for situations like David’s, just as earnestly as they began the process back in the 70s.

I can also find support for my beliefs about this situation in the United States Constitution, since United States Constitution states that every citizen has the right to be unhindered in seeking to …