Gene therapy is an experimental form of treatment that modify the expression of an individual’s genes or correct abnormal genes by replacing a faulty disease-causing gene with a working version, or by introducing a new gene to cure a condition or modify its effects. For example, diseases such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, and many cancers result from the presence of defective genes. Gene transfer first appeared in 1960s. The first therapeutic use of gene transfer was performed by French Anderson in September 1990 to treat a four-year old girl and another nine-year old girl with ADA deficiency. There are several approaches to gene therapy, including: replacing a disease-causing mutated gene with a healthy copy of the gene,
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First, it has untapped potential as it can eradicate disease instead of just alleviating the symptoms. It may be the only method to cure the genetic disorder. The effect will be passed to next generation which means less children will get hereditary diseases. Secondly, it becomes possible to replicate any protein. It could be used to enhance a person’s overall health. It is also possible to increase human’s physical condition which will us to a better life. But there are also some cons of gene therapy such as ethical and religious issues. Because of its high cost, it may be only offered to the wealth in a period of time which causes unfair treatment to the patients. The widespread use of gene therapy could make it harder for people to accept people who are different. It is controversial that should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance or modify basic human physical condition such as height, mass strength or intelligence. If this was approved, normal human life would be changed forever, which is against the nature law. Also, germline gene therapy leaves no chance for the people that are not born yet to choose whether have the treatment or not. Besides the ethical and religious issues, the gene therapy is not mature enough to put on the public. The clinical trials don’t reach a high success rate, a few of them are proven failure and the treatment is not permeant right now. As it is related to the human, scientists are not able to figure exactly what side effects may happen after gene therapies are used. It could cause serious problems such as gene mutations, even eliminate the human race. Therefore, the public always have misconceptions about gene therapy. They think modifying human’s gene is dangerous and it may be safe in the future instead of now. Most of people don’t pay attention to this and don’t care because they think gene therapy is about rare diseases and so sophisticated which have a small impact on
First, it has untapped potential as it can eradicate disease instead of just alleviating the symptoms. It may be the only method to cure the genetic disorder. The effect will be passed to next generation which means less children will get hereditary diseases. Secondly, it becomes possible to replicate any protein. It could be used to enhance a person’s overall health. It is also possible to increase human’s physical condition which will us to a better life. But there are also some cons of gene therapy such as ethical and religious issues. Because of its high cost, it may be only offered to the wealth in a period of time which causes unfair treatment to the patients. The widespread use of gene therapy could make it harder for people to accept people who are different. It is controversial that should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance or modify basic human physical condition such as height, mass strength or intelligence. If this was approved, normal human life would be changed forever, which is against the nature law. Also, germline gene therapy leaves no chance for the people that are not born yet to choose whether have the treatment or not. Besides the ethical and religious issues, the gene therapy is not mature enough to put on the public. The clinical trials don’t reach a high success rate, a few of them are proven failure and the treatment is not permeant right now. As it is related to the human, scientists are not able to figure exactly what side effects may happen after gene therapies are used. It could cause serious problems such as gene mutations, even eliminate the human race. Therefore, the public always have misconceptions about gene therapy. They think modifying human’s gene is dangerous and it may be safe in the future instead of now. Most of people don’t pay attention to this and don’t care because they think gene therapy is about rare diseases and so sophisticated which have a small impact on