By Henry Kyambalesa

I wish to comment on the planned establishment of an umbilical cord blood stem cell bank in Zambia by Cryobank International of India.

Essentially, a “stem cell” is a ductile type of cell that can either naturally develop into most of the 220 types of cells of the human body—such as blood cells, heart cells, brain cells, and kidney cells—or be developed into most of such cells through manipulation.[1] The fun­gibility or non-specialized nature of stem cells provides consider­able therapeutic potential in that the cells can be “doctored” and used to replace damaged, infected or dead cells in a person’s body and restore his or her health.

In the ensuing paragraphs, let us consider the ethical debate asso­ciated with stem cell research, a useful caveat for Zambian law makers and researchers who are involved in contentious research projects, and the need for an effective mechanism for assessing the benefits and costs of such research projects.

The Ethical Debate:

While advances in human stem cell research have generated a great deal of excitement among researchers and op­timistic predictions about revolutionary advances in biomedicine, they have also sparked a highly contentious ethical debate.[2] Among poten­tial benefits of the research are new treatments and possible cures for debilitating diseases and injuries—including Parkinson’s and Alzheim­er’s diseases, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, burns, spinal cord injuries, and some types of cancer.[3]

Ethical challenges associated with the research generally pertain to the source of the most promising categories of stem cells used—that is, “embryonic stem cells” derived from embryos that are between 5 and 7 days old, and “embryonic gem cells” derived from immature aborted foetuses. Basically, the extraction of stem cells from an embryo kills the embryo involved.

According to McDonald,[4] the ethical debate concerning the use of such stem cells boils down to three disparate arguments as follows:

(a) The embryos are genetically human and are potential human beings deserving of society’s full respect and protec­tion;

(b) The embryos are neither conscious nor self-aware, and are mere clusters of human cells with no independent ethical sta­tus; and

(c) The embryos are a part of the human life-cycle, part of the human story, and should, as such, be treated with respect in the same manner as a human corpse is treated.

Human stem cells can also be derived from the tissue of an adult, in which case the subject is generally left unharmed. Unfortunately, stem cells from an adult tissue are difficult to extract; moreover, they are limited in quantity, and appear to be less useful in facilitating revolutionary advances in bio­medicine.[5]

In recent years, the multi-potent-stem-cell-rich blood found in the umbilical cords of infants has proven useful in treating the same types of health problems as those treated using bone marrow stem cells and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs).[6] Since the umbilical cords are generally and traditionally discarded as a by-product of the birth process, umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants raise less ethical questions.

Besides, they are less prone to rejection by recipients than either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells perhaps because the cells have not yet developed the features that can be recognized and attacked by the recipient’s immune system. And since umbilical cord blood lacks well-developed immune cells, there is less chance that the transplanted cells will attack the recipient’s body. Both the versatility and availability of umbilical cord blood stem cells, therefore, makes them a potent resource for transplant therapies.[7]

But where will the Indian company be obtaining the umbilical cord blood stem cells, and what if the sources of umbilical cord blood stem cells will eventually turn out to be aborted and/or miscarried human foetuses? And how are we going to ensure that some morally corrupt or deficient women in the country or across national borders will not use this as a “cash cow” by getting pregnant and later selling their foetuses to the envisaged stem cell bank for the extraction of umbilical cord blood stem cells?

I do not believe a blood disorder known as “Thallasemic condition” is common in Zambia to warrant the setting up of a “cord blood cell bank” in the country. I would, therefore, advise the government not to allow the setting up of such a facility in our beloved country, especially if there are no definite answers to the questions I have raised above.

While I see the potential for umbilical cord blood stem cells to provide a lasting cure to life-threatening genetic blood disorders, we should be wary of research endeavors which many Zambians would find morally repugnant—research which has the potential to promote abortions for the purpose of selling foetuses. We must, of course, advance the promise and cause of science and research, but we must do so in a way that honors and respects life.

We need to protect the dignity and integrity of human life! And we must guard against creating a market for human parts like umbilical cords in our country!

A Useful Caveat:

McDonald[8] has provided a useful caveat for bio­technology companies and researchers facing vexing challenges and dilemmas arising from contentious research endeavors like stem cell research; it may be paraphrased as follows: The opinions of people in the host nation or community shou­ld be seriously discerned, publicly discussed, and ultimately used as important inputs in the generation of a “definition of corporate ‘best practice’ or clinical ‘standard of care’.”

An Assessment Mechanism:

It is essential for transnational companies which are engaged in contentious scientific and/or technological research projects to embrace measures which their host countries may institute to evaluate the technical and economic viability of such projects, and “the societal dimension of [the] impacts”[9] of the projects. In other words, they need to participate actively in “technolo­gy assessments” which their host governments may introduce. Such asse­ssments are important because they can be used by national governments in many beneficial ways. For example, they can be used as:

(a) Sources of vital informa­tion needed in isolating envis­aged scienti­fic and technological research projects that need to be promoted, and those which need to be discouraged or prohib­ited altogether;

(b) Means of assess­ing and mini­mizing the potential negative impacts that may be associated with scientific and technologi­cal research pro­jects; and

(c) Vehicles for resolving the contentious moral and ethical issues and dilemmas that may be evoked by scientific discov­er­ies and technolo­gical break­throughs.

To be useful, technology assessments need to generate and provide suffi­cient and reliable information about a given scientif­ic and/or techno­logical project on such matters as the following:[10] (a) the technical and economic feasibility of the project; (b) its potential economic, social, and environ­men­tal effects; and (c) the potential risks and safety concerns associated with it.

Moreover, the assessments need to be administered by an agency that is akin to what Alvin Toff­ler has referred to as a “techno­logical ombuds­man,”[11] which can be created and cha­rged with the res­ponsi­bility for recei­ving, investigat­ing and, among a host of other things, acting on com­plaints per­taining to the irrespon­si­ble applica­tion of new scientific discoveries and techno­logical break­throughs.

If it is prudently managed, such an agency can enable a cou­ntry to create a positive and via­ble inter­face between society and scientific and tech­nological research endeavors.

———————–

[1] A definition adapted from Religious Tolerance, “Stem Cell Research: All Sides to the Dispute,” www.religioustolerance.org/; and National Institute of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Stem Cells: A Primer,” www.nih.gov, May 2000.
[2] MacDonald, C., “Stem Cells: A Pluripotent Challenge,” http://www.stem­cells.ca.
[3] Religious Tolerance, and National Institute of Health, op. cit.
[4] McDonald, C., op. cit.
[5] Religious Tolerance, op. cit.
[6] The University of Utah: Genetic Science Learning Center, “Stem Cell Therapies Today,” www.learn.genetics.utah.edu/, January 2011.
[7] The University of Utah, ibid.
[8] McDonald, C., op. cit.
[9] See Hetman, F., “From Technology Assessment to an Integrated Per­spec­tive on Tech­nolo­gy,” in Srini­vasan, M., edi­tor, Tech­nology As­sess­ment and Devel­op­ment (New York: Praeg­er Pub­lish­ers, 1982), p. 37.
[10] See Kyambalesa, H., Business Innova­tion and Competi­tive­ness in the Develop­ing World (Brookfie­ld, USA: Ashgate Publish­ing Company, 1993), p. 72.
[11] See Toffler, A., Future Shock (New York: Random House, Inc., 1970), p. 442.

Local Government and Housing Minister Brian Chituwo has said that he can only institute special audit investigations in other council after receiving complaints from the public.
Dr. Chituwo has called on the public to report their complaints to his OFFICE to prove their allegations.

The minister has also said that there is no discrimination in the ongoing investigations of councils in the country.

He says it is cheap politicking for people to label government that it is only targeting councils that are controlled by the opposition political parties.

Dr. Chituwo adds that the local government Act cap 281, gives mandate to the minister in charge to institute statutory audits in all the councils in order to strengthen the systems in the local authority.

He says he should not be pressurized to audit all the councils as he can only institute a probe after receiving complaints.

Dr. Chituwo has further said that he wants to administer the local authority as a civic responsibility while prioritizing people’s interests.

QFM

FORMER Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Edward Mumbi and Committee of Citizens executive director Gregory Chifire have challenged PF leader Michael Sata to produce evidence that he has been remitting tax to the Zambia Revenue Authority(ZRA) from consultancy works he claims to have been providing.

They said in separate interviews in Lusaka yesterday that Mr Sata, who had been claiming that the US$27,000 confiscated in South Africa, was money paid to him after some consultancy work he did was allegedly evading tax and should be prosecuted.

Mr Mumbi said according to the laws of Zambia, those providing consultancy services were supposed to remit tax to ZRA and that Mr Sata should produce evidence that he had been doing so, failure to which he should be prosecuted for evading tax.

He said it was sad that Mr Sata was now trying to intimidate journalists by threatening them with law suits so that they stop exposing his wrong deeds.

“Mr Sata’s new stance of threatening to sue journalists in their own capacity is an act of childish and irresponsible behaviour,” he said.
He said Mr Sata should not rush into challenging him and Mr Phiri to produce the list of Lebanese and Greek nationals he had been borrowing money from.
Mr Mumbi said the PF president should first clear his name on several matters that had already exposed his misdeeds such as the dividing of Northern Province into two, selling of a piece of land in Luapula Province, and the issues surrounding his dealings which are currently before the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).

But when contacted, Mr Sata said the issue of the $27,000 had been overtaken by events and that he would rather not talk about it.

“How many times am I going to talk about the $27,000? That money has even been overtaken by events and by now it may even have gone to $100,000. What do Mumbi and Chifire know about ZRA?” Mr Sata said.

He also maintained that he would continue suing journalists in their own capacity as the country heads towards the 2011 elections.

“Where have you seen a driver knowing his boss’ debts? Yes, a driver can know about his boss’ girlfriend but not the debts his boss owes the people,” he said.

He also said he would ensure his former bodyguard and driver, Kelvin Phiri was prosecuted for what he called criminal defamation.

And Mr Chifire said Zambians should be wary of people like Mr Sata who would engage in shoddy deals with the aim of paying his creditors in an unlikely event that he was elected president.

He also said Mr Sata’s tendency of leaking confidential correspondence between him and President Rupiah Banda showed that the PF leader had no confidentiality and should not be trusted.

Meanwhile, the labour commissioner is today expected to meet Mr Sata’s former body guard Kelvin Phiri over a report submitted to his office concerning the opposition leader’s failure to pay K12 million terminal benefits.

Labour Commissioner Noah Siansimuna confirmed this in an interview.

[Times of Zambia]

Commenting on Fr. Bwalya’s Intentions to protest on the need for the country to have a new constitution before this year’s elections when parliament resumes sittings, ZED President Dr. Fred Mtesa says the priest has a right to express himself so long it is within the confines of the laws.

Dr. Mtesa also noted that the country needs more democratic laws to govern the electoral process and that calls to have a new constitution before this year’s elections are prudent.

He added that the government will positively respond to the calls for the Zambians and to adopt the Mung’omba draft constitution.

Dr. Mtesa says the Mung’omba draft constitution contains the true aspirations of the Zambian people.

He was speaking in an interview with QFM news.
[ QFM ]

Youth, Sport and Child Development Permanent Secretary Teddy Mulonga has disclosed that only K150 million has been pumped into youth projects in Luapula Province.

Mr. Mulonga attributed the low levels of funding to lack of interest by youths in the province to apply for funds.

ZANIS reports that he said his ministry never received any application from Luapula Province for funds from the Youth Empowerment Programme until youths were senstised by the District Commissioners (DC).

Mr. Mulonga told Samfya DC that his ministry has a lot of money for youth empowerment.

He said Government wants to engage the youth in productive ventures hence the need for them to apply for funds.

He has since appealed to the youths to apply for funding from the ministry immediately.

Mr. Mulonga made the appeal when he paid a courtesy call on Samfya DC, Cleophas Chimembe today.

He said Government has allocated K1.7 billion for youth development and K10 billion as Youth Empowerment Funds.

He said youths were facing economic challenges hence Government was doing everything possible to empower and equip them with skills.

The PS further said the empowerment programmes have the potential to uplift the living standards of young people and enable them contribute to national development.

He expressed sadness at the fact that some politicians are taking advantage of unemployment among the youths to use them for violent campaigns for personal benefit.

He was ,however, happy that most youths have refused to be used as tools for violence.

And Samfya DC, Cleophas Chimembe has appealed to the PS to help youths in the district with bursaries to continue with their education.

He said there are many orphaned youths in the area who have dropped out of school because of lack of sponsorship.

[ ZANIS ]