Gene Therapy
Gene Therapy
Ashlyn Stackhouse
SLCC 1090 Research Paper
Gene Therapy
Gene Therapy is currently an experimental treatment in which genes are used to
either cure a person’s disease or prevent a genetic disease from occurring. There are many
approaches to gene therapy, including replacing the “bad” or “mutated” gene with a
perfectly normal copy of that specific gene, inactivating the “bad” gene, or inserting a new
gene that could possibly help fight off the disease. Replacing the mutated gene or inserting
a healthy copy allows the protein associated to begin to work properly. Gene Therapy is a
promising treatment for people with diseases, like cancer, and also other inherited
disorders. Just like any experimental treatments there are risks that come along with it, and
that’s why scientists are continuing to study gene therapy to make sure that it is safe as well
as efficient (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2013).
Gene Therapy was first proposed by scientists in the early 1970’s while they were
studying the cell transformations in papaovaviruses and SV40. In their study, they found
that cloned genes could replace the defected gene from a disorder or disease and correct
the issue. Since more and more people are beginning to accept this form of approach to
some diseases and disorders, clinical trials have taken place on humans (Genet, 1992). With
more and more technological advances and experiments, scientists are able to test many
different approaches of gene therapy on many different diseases and disorders. These
advances are helping scientists with methods of inserting the new gene into the mutated
cell (Tani, 2011).
There are many ethical issues surrounding gene therapy. While some say that gene
therapy is a great discovery for mankind, others feel that we are messing with God’s plan.
Another ethical con against gene therapy is that if we can alter people’s genes to cure a
disease then there could be a way to alter someone’s genes to make them have higher
human capabilities, for example creating a “Super Army”. Some believe that this therapy
could disturb the genetic gene pool of humans, as well. Although there are many cons,
there are just as many pros. Cures for many different cancers and genetic disorders could
benefit many people. This could allow scientists to stop the spread of some unknown
diseases in the future. This is a big step in the scientific world of genetics and could cause
many breakthroughs of information (Hogarth, 1996).
In London, England, four boys have reportedly been cured of Severe Combined
Immunodeficiency (SCID) from gene therapy. Usually SCIDs can be cured from bone marrow
transplants but it is often a difficult and long wait for a compatible donor to become
available. Even once a donor is found; there is always the chance of it getting regretted by
the recipient’s body. Scientists and doctors were able to take the boys own cells and genes
so it reduces that chance of rejection. According to the London Doctors all four boys have
been responding well. Even two of the four boys were able to be taken off their medication.
There have been cases were cancer as formed as a negative side effect to the gene therapy
but all four boys have shown no sign of cancer formation (BBC News, 2004).Although this
cases involves children, there is not a specific type of individual that the therapy could help.
Gene Therapy could possible work on many different races and ages of people with
Gene Therapy
diseases and disorders that gene therapy has been known to help. Since gene therapy is still
in research and an experimental treatment, it is not used as often as other treatments.
There is still a lot that the scientists don’t know about this process, therefore, making it
currently only for experimental use.
To every ethical issue there are always two sides full of people that differ in
opinions. People that would agree with gene therapy are the scientists that have been
working on this idea for awhile. There would also be the support of people who believe that
this is a big step for the science world. If this side was to get their way and gene therapy
was accepted as a treatment, more research would be put into gene therapy to make it a
safe way to cure certain illnesses. Once the treatment was perfected, it could save many
people’s lives. I believe that there would be restrictions on gene therapy so things like “ a
Super Army” wouldn’t occur. Those who wouldn’t agree are thought to be ones that believe
in a high power, claiming that gene therapy messes with God’s plan. Others wouldn’t agree
because they believe that this method could be taken advantage of. If this side was to get
their way, gene therapy wouldn’t be accepted in society causing it to be forgotten.
Research wouldn’t happen and scientist would have to work on different ways to cure these
illnesses.
I believe that this issue should be rated as a 7. This method of treatment could save
many people’s lives or make their lives easier, but with all experimental treatments there
are risks, which is why people are unsure about gene therapy. Since gene therapy is a huge
breakthrough and kind of a bizarre thought people tend to think of the worse. I believe that
this could be a good thing and there should be more positive thoughts about gene therapy.
Gene Therapy
References
BBC NEWS | Health | Boys 'cured' with gene therapy. (2004, December 17). BBC News - Home.
Retrieved January 2013, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4101411.stm
Hogarth, E. (1996). ASPECTS OF GENE THERAPY. NDSU - North Dakota State University.
Retrieved January 2013, from
http://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students/eric.htm
Tani, J. (2011, March). West Indian Medical Journal - Updates on current advances in gene
therapy. SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online. Retrieved January 2013, from
http://caribbean.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S004331442011000200016&lng=en&nrm=iso
U.S. National Library of Medicine (2013, January 17). What is gene therapy? - Genetics Home
Reference. Genetics Home Reference - Your guide to understanding genetic conditions.
Retrieved January 2013, from http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/therapy/genetherapy