Using Gene Therapy

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.

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

Imagine this: You just got back from your procedure to alter your genes for brown hair and green eyes because you didn 't want to pass them on to your child. Everyone is saying that having brown hair and green eyes is unattractive now and they 're unwanted traits for future generations. Three months later the “fad” changes and people begin to think that having green eyes won 't be so bad after all and that they 're actually unique. Now you 're left with passing on the Version 1.0 gene pool to your children while everyone else who waited could have children with green eyes. This is the future of unregulated germ-line gene therapy. Do we really want to live in a world where this is allowed? The thought of people changing their genes just to fit in and be desirable is unimaginable. While somatic cell gene therapy brings many advantages to the treatment of diseases and the quality of life, using germ-line gene therapy to genetically improve, alter, or fabricate human beings is unethical and should be regulated against.

Gene therapy is an experimental form of treatment, where normal genes are placed into missing or defective ones in order to correct or alter genetic disorders. In other terms, it is the therapeutic delivery of nucleic acid polymers into a patient 's cells as a drug to treat disease (Gennady, 2015). After many attempts at modifying human DNA by nuclear gene transfer as well as insertion of human DNA in the nuclear genome, the first successful gene therapy was in 1990 where it was used to cure four-year-old Ashanti DaSilva who had Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (IDF 2013 National Conference). Since then gene therapy has been used to cure and treat serious diseases such as Chronic Granulomatus Disorder, Hemophilia, and a wide variety of Cancers, and other genetic and acquired diseases (American Society of GENE & CELL THERAPHY, online).

Gene therapy is a relatively new technology that has shown some promising results. Such as the drug called Strimvelis that is used to help children with severe combined immunodeficiency, a disease that leaves infants with little to no protection against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other potentially harmful things. It appears to be a cure carried out through a genetic pair. Strimvelis was tested on 18 children, starting 15 years ago, all of whom are still alive today. Gene therapy is used to inject genes into a person’s cells and tissues in order to treat a disease, as well as hereditary diseases where an abnormal allele is replaced with a fully functional allele. The carrier, called a vector, is used to transport the normal gene to the target cells. The most common type of vector are viruses that have been genetically altered to carry human DNA. Scientists have been trying to control the way the viruses have evolved encapsulating and delivering their genes to normal cells in a pathogenic way by manipulating the viral genome to remove disease-causing genes and inserting healthy ones. Theoretically, it is possible to transform either the cells of the body (somatic) or the cells of the sperm, ova, and their precursors (germline). All of the gene therapy experiments so far on humans have been directed to somatic cells, because germline experiments have been remaining controversial. Somatic gene therapy is split into two broad categories: ex vivo (cells are modified outside of the body then returned back again) or in vivo (genes are changed in cells while still located inside of the

A majority of Americans favor gene therapy for use among patients with serious diseases; but oppose gene editing of unborn babies. Gene therapy does have the potential of being effective medicine for serious diseases. Physicians have already started to perform gene therapy trials; some have been successful, some have not. As G. Burningham says in Newsweek , “We are about to be able to fix some of the worst problems that can happen to people.” Diseases like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and alzheimer's disease. Gene therapy has the possibility and potential to someday be able to cure possible genetic diseases or cure disabilities. Gene therapy will become the medicine of the 21st century. Because of gene therapy, genetic can be used for good for medical purposes. One of the ways gene therapy will eventually be effective is through stem cell

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.

“In 2013, more than 43,000 adults and 5,000 children and teens will be diagnosed with [leukemia] in the United States” (“What you”). Leukemia is a cancer that affects an individual’s blood and bone marrow by making leukemia cells. Leukemia has many treatment options, but these treatment options are not guaranteed to completely cure cancer (“What you”). Doctors have been working diligently to find a cure for leukemia, and cancer in general. Some of these treatment options have included experimentation with gene therapy. Gene therapy is a treatment that goes to the source of the disease and helps correct the defective genes rather than treating the symptoms like traditional drug-based approaches (“What is”). Although gene therapy

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.

Regardless to what gene therapy is, it has been characterized as unethical by society, and reveals to be quite dangerous. An article, “Genetic Engineering”, states, “If scientists can cure genetic disorders, they can also design individuals in accordance with the cultural and intellectual fashions of the day. Will humans know when to say “enough” to the changes that can be made with HGT?” [17] According to this article, many people are standing out and protesting these sort of procedures for not being rectitude. Adding on, many fear that this medical life-saving treatment will be used to alter the physical appearance of someone without a medical purpose. Say if in the future, gene therapy is used to modify a person’s appearance, it could possibly

Many people question that if gene therapy is existent it would exclude the poor and middle class individuals to perform gene therapy. Discrimination may also be apparent when discussing this technology. Some believe that others without the therapy will discriminate the genetically modified individuals or it may be a vice versa situation. The reaction of society may take two approaches either they will tolerate the situation or be completely intolerant. Moreover, gene therapy may affect our culture and idea in society. The idea of perfectly "modified babies" will certainly affect and arise question regarding our culture and ideal aspect of life. The social impacts involved with gene therapy may be harder to predict due to the change in society periodically, however some theories state some individuals may begin to view this issue more common than others while others would label it as a social or religious custom. Furthermore, since genetic therapy is altering the code of life many people view the issue of altering the genes may be tampering with the nature of life. Another ethical issue, is regarding the diversity in humans. Gene therapy can certainly limit the populations diversity. Moreover, gene therapy can also arise the topic of economics. The rise of gene therapy will strive companies to overcome their competitors that would create competition between the most effective and cheapest development of gene therapy technology. Additionally this will open more job opportunities in the market. Every individual may view the aspects of gene therapy differently therefore decisions of each individual will vary upon their outlooks on this concern

Gene therapy is an experimental technique that allows doctors to insert a gene into a patient’s cell rather than using drugs or surgery. Gene therapy is a process of which defective or undesired genes in the body with “normal” genes. A vector is re-engineered to deliver the gene to a target cell. Then the gene is transferred to the cell’s nucleus and must be activated in order to function. The main focus of gene therapy is to replace a lost or improper gene with a new functional copy into a vector that is inserted into the subject’s genome by way of penetrating its DNA. Gene therapy can be done outside of the body known as ex vivo by way of taking cells form patients bone marrow or blood and then growing them