Before I discuss and attest my opinion, I think it is important to truly know what gene therapy is. Gene therapy involves introducing new genes into cells for the purpose of treating diseases. I think anyone and everyone should support gene therapy research, especially because I am going in the medical field, gene therapy could save someone’s life.
I volunteer at the Houston Medical Center whenever I go back home and a gene therapy program has been implemented in M.D. Anderson for cancer patients. It’s been at the forefront fighting rare genetic disorders that affect children. Their successful trials excel every step in the gene therapy process. While doing research, I also stumbled upon Dana-Farber’s cancer and blood disorder center where another gene therapy program has also been implemented [2]. Through their research capabilities, they research on basic studies on the causes of genetic diseases, gene/target identification, vector selection and development, preclinical validation and development, monitoring the efficacy and safety of genetic modification, development of new strategies for genetic engineering, and identification of novel clinical applications [2]. They work with multiple partners and conduct patient cell transduction and prepare gene corrected patient cells for infusion. I believe that their gene therapy research is truly effective and everyone should be completely for gene therapy research. In fact, just this past year in August, the Food and Drug
The advantages of gene therapy far out weight their disadvantages. People have lost their lives due to gene therapy are a few compared to the people that have got a second chance at life because of gene therapy. It gives
Gene therapy is an experimental technique that is used to prevent disease. For future reference, this technique may treat disorders. It may add or remove genes to get rid of a genetic disorder. Gene therapy is a heavily debated subject. There are very respectful points on both sides of this debated topic. The pro side believes that gene therapy is the best thing that is happening to our society. However, opposers of gene therapy believe that people should refrain from proceeding with this biological advancement and it is ethnically incorrect.
This is one of the major factors that lead to the absence in the gaining of therapeutic science. Although the lack in progress cannot be the only factor blasted for; some scientific trials have confirmed both anxious and fearful, advancing tighter on gene therapy restrictions. According to Hogarth, this hotly debatable topic of whether it is dangerous or not “playing God” has caused many religious, governmental, scientific and public figures to signify their own concerns in fierce debates (Hogarth para 9). Since the beginning of gene therapy, there has always been a constant battle over the guidance of its future of whether gene therapy will transform into a therapeutic science or lead to unpleasant consequences as the eugenics did in the 20th century. The ethics of gene therapy have been established and based on, not only beliefs, but also the disconnection and advantages achieved in the trials, which has lead to the breakthrough of the future of gene therapy. The downfall and advancement of gene therapy are the hereditary products of research that have had a major influential impact on its ethical features. When gene therapy was a novice, it gained an immense amount of popularity when scientific research evolved towards identifying genes that induce certain diseases (Hunt, 2006).
Fifty years after the idea of gene therapy was first proposed, gene therapy has become a possible treatment for a couple different diseases. Before this treatment was approved, some serious unfavorable effects were found in clinical trials. However, these effects fueled more basic research in order to improve, in efficiency and safety. Gene therapy has been used for patients with blindness, neuromuscular disease, hemophilia, immunodeficiencies, and cancer.
I believe that gene therapy is ethical since it helps those who are suffering from a genetic disorder. Many people who suffer from genetic disorders usually have a lower life span than those who do not and are usually suffering from pain/disabilities due to the genetic disorder. In The BIble there are many instances where God heals those who are sick, the treatment of gene therapy is no different. If doctors are doing what God has been in The Bible why is it immoral? Many genetic disorders have no cure to them and other types of treatment may be ineffective or slightly effective at most. Further research into gene therapy can potentially find a cure to genetic disorders like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, sickle cell amelia and certain cancers like leukemia and lung cancer. Using gene therapy we able to actually treat and potentially cure genetic disorders since gene therapy corrects the root of the problem; the genes rather than using ineffective treatments or no treatment at all. Some may also say that modifying the gametes of a person is wrong since the kid has no consent whether they chose to receive gene therapy or not, I believe that it is better to apply gene therapy to gametes since it prevents future generations from suffering from the genetic disorder as a whole and it is almost certain the kid will be more thankful not being born with a genetic disorder.
Whether gene therapy should be allowed to be used in practice is currently a very controversial topic. In my opinion, I do not think that it should be allowed. Gene therapy is a technique where genetic material is inserted into a patient to replace missing or defective genes. Gene therapy can be further broken down into two categories: somatic and germline. From there, somatic gene therapy can be approached in two ways: in-vivo and ex-vivo. For the process of gene therapy to begin, the proper vector needs to be acquired. Once a vector is chosen, the vector delivers the new gene into the target cell. Then, the target cell becomes infected with the vector. Next, the vector’s genetic material is inserted into the target cell. Then finally, functional
In 1990 the first gene therapy procedure gained approval and a four-year-old girl with SCIDs disease was finally able to fight off a simple cold. She is now able to live a normal life with the help of continued treatment of gene therapy. Although gene therapy is an innovative and ideally favorable procedure when it comes to treating diseases, cancer, or inherited disorders, it is still a delicate procedure and is continuously studied to insure it is not only effective but also and most importantly safe. In order to insure the safety of patients a gene therapy drug must get the approval of the FDA before becoming available, as every drug must do. Since gene therapy is still very experimental; there are only a few gene therapy drugs that have been approved by the FDA to treat patients. However, on August 30th, 2017 history was made when the FDA approved Kymriah, the first CAR-T cell therapy drug to be available in the United States. Kymriah is a one-time treatment for patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, it was developed through the research collaboration of Novartis and the University of Pennsylvania, and it is manufactured for each individual patient. Kymriah’s only drawback would be the price tag of $475,000 for a course of treatment, however Novartis plans to wave the fee for patients where Kymriah is not successful.
Therefore, as a result of extensive regulations put forth and overseen by political authorities, Gene therapy has had a profound political impact. Its political ramifications can be seen to be positive as the legalities surrounding Gene Therapy ensure the protection, safety and security of any individual undergoing the clinical trial.
Scientists and doctors alike have long been looking for cures to diseases like cancer. For years now, there have been countless fundraisers to cure this and cure that. And yet, it seems as if there's never any progress. There may be a brief headline in the news about a new discovery, but they always seem to never go anywhere. Maybe the problem is that they've been looking in the wrong places. Maybe the cure doesn't lie on a medicinal level, but instead the genetic level, in genetic engineering and gene therapy. Direct manipulation of an organism's genome can be used in gene therapy as a means to alter genes, causing both positive and negatives effects as well as discussions about the ethical boundaries of modern
I read an article on an online news source that the FDA has authorized the use of gene therapy to try to cure a form of leukemia called B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL. This is the first FDA approved gene therapy in the United States. ALL can affect children and adults. The trial is targeted to children and adults under the age of twenty-five who haven't responded to previous treatment, and who havn’t had a relapse. The scientists are able to alter a patient’s T-cells by adding a new gene to the cells. This new gene directs the T-cells to target cancer cells. This is a revolutionary trial that will open many doors in the scientific community in the future. More and more experiments with genes will occur. This trial of gene therapy affects body cells, specifically white blood cells.
Most people remain ignorant to the facts about gene therapy unless they are among the millions of people afflicted from a genetic disorder. In a clinical survey data showed that about one in ten people have, or will develop in their lifetime, an inherited genetic abnormality. Another clinical survey showed that approximately over two
Despite the ethical, social, economical ramifications, gene therapy is such a debatable topic that has so many sides to defend, as there will always be consequences associated with the
Mankind is still in need of more information surrounding this topic. I do think gene therapy could be a wonderful thing in curing series diseases that would otherwise led to death. But the costs of gene therapy would certainly be outrageous. Gene therapy could possibly be only for the rich and not the poor. The public needs to be more informed about the discoveries in gen e therapy to aid in research.
Gene therapy is the process of changing the genetic makeup or an individual to try and cure a disease they may have (Kids Health Gene Therapy and Children). However, this cannot always go as planned and is simply not right. Children are born the way they are for a specific reason and if the parents or doctors try to change the child because of a mutation, then it is unethical. The parents are responsible for how their child turns out. They should love their child exactly how it is in and out of the womb.
Many scientists and others believe that if gene therapy can be refined, it could be implemented to ultimately put an end to genetic disorders. The parents would have the children they want, and the children who had the natural disposition towards a genetic disorder could possibly become a normal child, whereas otherwise they would probably end up losing their life due to abortion. Those that support gene therapy view it as a win-win strategy: