Genetic Treatment : An Expensive Technique That Can Only Be Affordable Essay

Gene therapy has saved many lives but there also have been other cases where the treatment has not helped cure the patient’s genetic disorder and they have died. Take Jesse Gelsinger for an example. He suffered from an X linked genetic disorder of the liver so he was injected with an adenoviral vector carrying the corrected form of the gene (Couzin & Kaiser, 2005). This treatment was not a success and Jesse ended up dying four days later. He suffered from a massive immune response that was triggered by the use of the adenoviral vector that was injected in him to transport the correct gene into his cells, which caused him to have multiple organ failures and his brain to die.

There has also been talk of gene therapy to help improve immune deficiencies, specifically the first and most prevalent deficiency called severe combined immunodeficiency-X1 (SCID-X1). SCID-X1 contains a variety of inherited types, one of which occurs due to a mutation of the gamma-c gene, this gene codes for cytokine receptors. The cytokine receptors help maintain proper communication between white blood cells. When they become defective, T lymphocytes don’t function as they normally should (Panno 38). As a ramification the body does not recognize invading agents or activate the immune system. The second form of SCID pertains to a mutation malfunction as well, but in the adenosine deaminase gene (ADA). A toxic buildup of adenosine

Gene therapy provides many benefits to the patients who undergo it. Biotechnologists believe that a genetic disease can be removed with this treatment. For example, on the U.S. National Library of Medicine website, it states, “Researchers are testing several approaches to gene therapy, including: Replacing a mutated gene that causes disease with a healthy copy of the gene. Inactivating, or ‘knocking out,’ a mutated gene that

Gene therapy is defined as the medical replacement of defective genes in living human cells; its aim is to replace the activity of a defective gene by activating a dormant gene which has a similar function (Wheale & McNally, 212). Under gene therapy comes the politically controversial Human Genome Project, a fifteen-year, $3 billion federally-funded biology program. The goal of the project is to isolate the defective gene on the chromosomes which comprise the human genome (Fletcher, 2). In this manner, the Human Genome Project may be able to rid the cancer-ridden genes from human DNA, thereby curing cancer permanently. The project has been the focus of much scientific and political controversy over the past few years for its possible ramifications are extensive to all of human existence.

It is stressful to think about inherited diseases or genetic conditions that run in the family. Just thinking about putting myself in that situation is emotionally draining. I cannot imagine those people who deal with that kind of circumstances in real life. This makes me wonder whether there is an interventions offered by clinical genetics services to minimize the emotional burdensome to patients. I believe that genetic services and counseling would probably be beneficial for this type of situations. Genetic Alliance is a great program that provides support to families affected individuals and families , so they can better understand their available resources, information, and support that will help them access to quality services (Romelczyk

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.

In the future, medical professionals hope to be able to treat or even eradicate a disorder by inserting a new gene into the cell via drug or surgery that will combat or even fix the mutation in the DNA that causes that disease. This therapy is still in the very early stages of experiments, and the ethical questions surrounding it prevents much progress from being made at all. There are many potential health complications surrounding this type of approach: scientists still do not completely understand how genes work and if they can be replaced. CRISPR will be a major tool used in gene therapy. CRISPR, which stands for , is a unique technology that lets geneticist and medical researches edit part of the genome by pinpointing a certain area of DNA and adding DNA, removing DNA, or altering the DNA sequence (Your

Another problem is that through genetic manipulation could limit the genetic diversity in all species. Gene therapy is available only to rich people and after a time characteristics that make people earn less money would eventually die out.

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

The fallbacks and progress of gene therapy are the inherent products of research that have affected its ethical aspects. Initially, when gene therapy was a novice, it gained popularity when scientific research grew toward recognizing genes that caused certain diseases (Hunt 2006). The concept of using gene therapy to cure patients diagnosed with these types of diseases became popular in the 1980’s (Hunt 2006). Starting at this period of time, gene therapy has had its ups and downs that either led the public into outrage or hope (Hunt 2006). The growing interest of gene therapy was accompanied with the controversial success of a child’s, Ashanthi’s, health who suffered from (SCID) severe combined

The most recent success was when one-year-old, Layla, received gene therapy because other treatments were not helping with her leukemia (Alter). This treatment is not intended to be a cure for Layla, but rather keep her healthy until they can find a T-cell donor (Alter). Layla’s story is a step in the right direction for finding a cure for leukemia and for gene therapy being a treatment option. In another trial, five people received gene therapy to help treat their leukemia. The sickest patient of the five patients had no signs of leukemia after only eight days (Coghlan). As of now, three of the five patients are still alive (Coghlan). One of the two patients died due to relapsing, while the other one died from a blood clot that is said to be unrelated to the treatment (Coghlan). Although two people died, the trial was considered a success because the other three patients were cured. Michel Sadelain, one of the people who designed the trail, stated in an article by Andy Coghlan, ‘“The stunning finding was that in all five patients, tumours [sic] were undetectable after the treatment…’” (qtd. in Coghlan). Even before the other two patients died their cancer was undetectable, which means that their gene therapy treatment was successful. The patients each received a bone marrow donation to make sure that they could have a healthy immune system (Coghlan). This trial was another step in the right direction

Since its inception, gene therapy has captured the attention of the public and ethics disciplines as a therapeutic application of human genetic engineering. The latter, in particular, has lead to concerns about germline modification and questions about the distinction between therapy and enhancement. The development of the gene therapy field and its progress to the clinic has not been without controversy.

If a treatment is implicated before the child is born – germline gene therapy – he or she could lose all trace of that defective gene, and therefore wouldn’t pass the disease on to future generations. In somatic gene therapy, treatment is conducted when the patient is an

seems to hold the key to make this a reality. Gene Therapy is still in its early stages and is still

Every living thing is the product of the genes that were passed down from ancestors. Genes make up everything we are. One gets their traits from their parents. Most people live full lives with relatively good health. However, some people inherit mutated genes or faulty genes. This could lead to genetic disorders that could be life threatening. Even today, many genetic disorders still remain incurable, leaving many people without hope. Genetic therapy could be their answer. It is through this research that the cure for genetic disorders can be found. Though some people believe it is unethical or immoral to alter genes, current therapeutics have not been able to save the lives of the patients with these diseases. Genetic therapy