Gene Therapy : An Experimental Technique

Gene therapy is a very controversial topic that has been discussed in the last five years and is being heavily studied to help cure cancer. Gene therapy is a technique aimed at treating genetic disorders by introducing the correct form of the defective gene into the patient’s genome (Dunlop et al., 2010).

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.

Some people may wonder what gene therapy is. Gene therapy is the replacing of defective or missing genes with normal genes in order to cure the disorder. In the future, this technique may be used to prevent or treat a disorder by inserting

Gene therapy is an experimental medical procedure that uses the genes in our bodies to either treat or prevent disease by introducing new genetic material into human cells (ie. cancer cells) to create the necessary proteins that allows the cell become healthy (SOURCE). Gene therapy can also be used as an alternative to other medical disorders rather than having a surgical procedure done or using drugs such as chemotherapy. For example, Joseph Panno, research

There are two types of gene therapy; germline gene and somatic gene therapy. Germline gene therapy is considered to be a safer option for humans. This method makes changes to the gamete cells that are used in the reproductive process thus, the functional genes need to be inserted into the chromosomes. Somatic gene therapy is when genes are transferred to body cells by inserting vectors into a person’s body. There are three things that gene therapy can do; replace a mutated gene that causes a disease with a healthy gene, deactivate a mutated gene that is not able to function properly, or introduce a new gene into the body to prevent diseases. There has been a clinical trial in the past where over 3000 people were treated with gene therapy and the results were good however, this treatment method has serious health

With our current society rapidly advancing in both the technological and medicinal world, many new treatments have been born that can be used to treat genetic conditions that regular antibiotics and surgeries simply have no positive or progressive effect. Gene therapy is when a newly developed gene is transferred, or introduced, to an already existing gene, it is the attempt to treat one’s genetic disorder at the molecular level and could significantly improve the human population and provides hope to people with disabilities. Gene therapy goes straight to the source and alleviates symptoms of the disorder. The gene receiving this new development is in some shape or form, mutated, or defective. If the gene therapy is a

Gene Therapy is an experimental form of treatment that aims to get rid of genetic conditions at their source. It also may be used to replace a faulty gene with a working version or introduce a new gene to cure a condition or modify its effects. ( Victoria State Government, 2011) It is designed to introduce genetic material into cells to compensate for abnormal genes or to create a beneficial protein within the gene. If a mutated or incomplete gene creates a protein needed that is faulty or not present, gene therapy has the ability to introduce a copy of that specific gene to restore the function of the protein within that gene.

Gene therapy works by adding a good copy of a defective gene to the cells in need (“What is”). Gene therapy is different than traditional treatments because it goes right to the source of the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms (“What is”). Although gene therapy is a possible treatment for many medical conditions, conditions affecting many genes is not the best candidate for gene therapy (“What is”). Inserting the gene into a cell can be an extremely difficult process. To insert the gene into a cell, a virus is attached to a vector (Vachani). This vector is used as a carrier and is inserted into the body with the new gene attached. The gene then goes into the cell’s nucleus and becomes attached (Vachani). There are multiple ways to give gene therapy to people and researchers can find the most effective way. Since gene therapy is still new and being experimented with, the side effects are still unknown (Vachani). After the vector is inserted, the body may react and cause a fever, chills, nausea, and a blood pressure drop (Vachani). These side effects are usually gone after a day or two (Vachani). Although it has not happened yet, researchers are worried that the new genes could start to affect the healthy cells (Vachani). Depending on which cells it affects it could

A new form of medicine with the potential to save and improve millions of live is gene therapy, or gene replacement therapy. Gene therapy is the use of DNA as a pharmaceutical agent used to treat or cure diseases or disorders caused by defective or missing genes. There are three methods of gene therapy: replacing a mutated gene with a healthy copy of the same gene, inactivating a gene that is not functioning properly, or introducing a completely new gene to help the patient fight a disease. Gene therapy is a promising treatment option, however, the technique has yet to be perfected and is still dangerous and experimental.

The most common approach in gene replacement therapy is through viral vectors. A piece of DNA is

Gene therapy can be loosely defined in genetic terms as, a treatment for a disorder or deficiency before full term or conception in IVF treatments, which aims to bring an unhealthy fetus to health or to eliminate future disadvantages from a malfunction or dieses i.e. Spina Bifida. Whereas Gene enhancement is an improvement or extension of some characteristic, capacity, or activity selected by parents before birth, simply for an advantageous start to

Somatic therapy is the method of gene therapy that can be used on existing human beings, as in it is the modification of genes and introducing them back into the body. According to the Genetics & Public Policy Center, Somatic gene therapy has only been successful a few times during a clinical trial, in treating the X-chromosome linked severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (X-SCID). The trial was somewhat unsuccessful for some of the children who participated, as they developed leukemia (dnapoicy.org). There was success with a 4 year old and 9 year old, who underwent the same procedure for SCID, and both are alive today. (McCain, 2005).

Gene therapy is currently used to correct genetic diseases.  These diseases are caused either by inherited defective genes or by miscoded genes, which are generally created during cell growth and division (Blaese).  Gene therapy works by

Gene therapy is the modification of the genetic material within a cell for therapeutic purposes. It is used to treat or prevent diseases, inherited disorders, some cancers and viral infections by inserting a gene into a patient’s cell, through a viral vector as a delivery system, instead of using traditional medicine or surgery. Genes are responsible for making proteins, which in turn have a vast array of pivotal functions in an organism. In patients affected with genetic diseases or disorders, the DNA is mutated and no longer codes for a functional protein, affecting the way in which an organism appears and functions. There are different methods used to administer gene therapy: replacing a mutated gene that causes a disease with a healthy, functional gene, which is the most common approach; inactivating a mutated gene that is functioning improperly; and introducing a new gene into the body that will produce proteins and enzymes to help

Gene therapy is the method of use of genes by inserting a functioning gene into body cells in order to correct the disease by inactivating altered genes with inserting a genetically modified gene into the body in place of drugs to fight disease (Verma, 1990).