Question

a new form of gene therapy is developed that offers a cure for a rare, single - gene hereditary disease. the treatment includes a complex one - time and personalized biotechnology, resulting in a cost of $5 million per patient. the primary economic and ethical barrier to the widespread use of this medical technology is best described by which response?
a. the cost is justified because the underlying scientific research is expensive, and charging high prices ensures that the virus used in the therapy cannot mutate to become infectious.
b. the use of a viral vector to administer the treatment is ethically controversial due to concerns about the potential, long - term effects of the disease virus.
c. the high cost creates a massive global inequity where the life - saving cure is only accessible to the extremely wealthy, violating the principle that all people, regardless of wealth, deserve access to life - saving medical treatments.
d. the government should predominantly own the patent and mass - produce the therapy at a lower cost, which would remove the financial incentive for future life - saving biotech innovations.

Explanation:

Answer:

C. The high - cost results in a massive global inequity where the life - saving cure is only accessible to the wealthy minority violating the principle that all people, regardless of wealth, deserve access to life - saving medical treatments.