When Ethics Conflict With Science By Chloe Clancy

Peter Zhu

        At the beginning of this month, a West Point Military Cadet, Peter Zhu, was tragically killed in a skiing accident in New York. Peter, an only child, had always dreamed of living on a ranch with horses and five kids, and unfortunately, after he died, this dream could no longer be fulfilled. To make up for this, his parents had one wish, which was to preserve his sperm. Who knew this decision would spark such controversy? His parents quickly hired a lawyer, in attempt to save their family name. There are a lot of ethical questions that arise from this issue, making it hard to decide what the right choice is.

        Medical experts at Stanford University and University of California San Francisco explain that since the sperm is not like other organs, they wouldn't normally grant this request, unless requested by a spouse, or with written consent from Peter. Dr. James Smith also believes that without consent, they would technically be doing the procedure against his wishes, unethically. Along with this, the United States does not have explicit laws about post-mortem sperm retrieval, and the lack of regulation conflicts with the ability to make the medical decisions. Ultimately more questions are asked, such as, who would he have wanted the child to be with?

        However, there is a deep cultural aspect to consider too. Since Peter was an only child, and had no male cousins, his death would eventually be the end to a cherished family bloodline. His parents express how important it is to their Chinese culture to save the linage, and they feel this is their only opportunity to do so. They also want to save a piece of him that can bring back the memories and joy that he brought his family. 

        Personally, I don't think this is an ethical decision. If the family was to save his sperm, the child wouldn't technically be his. The child also wouldn't have the emotional connection to his parents that most other children have. Plus, in these circumstances, it is unable to tell who Peter would have wanted the mother to be, and whether or not he would have trusted his parents to choose an egg donor. According to David Magnus, the director of the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, post-mortem sperm retrievals are becoming more popular, due to the scientific advancements surrounding it. Despite this, I would still only grant this request to a spouse, not a parent. To me this seems like it could set a wild precedent for the future, which could eventually become problematic. I can only imagine the loss felt by his parents, and I understand the cultural aspect in this debate, however the ethics surrounding the science of the retrieval are far too complicated in our world, and the best decision is to not have the procedure done. 

Reference: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2019/03/05/parents-want-to-preserve-dead-sons-sperm-but-what-next/