Saviour siblings in India: A reminder of our existing challenges and biases

Abstract

Saviour babies or saviour siblings are conceived specifically to be sources of biological materials - ranging from cord blood, stem cells or even organs - to save another child, usually an older sibling, who is suffering from a disease like thalassemia that can be cured with this biological material. In 2020, the media reported about the birth of India's first saviour baby, in the state of Gujarat [1]. In January 2023, there was a report of the birth of another saviour baby, in the state of Maharashtra [2]. Ethical concerns relating to saviour siblings find a place in the western bioethics discourse. However, it is little discussed in the Indian context.