Table of Contents
Is gene therapy safe for humans?
Current research is evaluating the safety of gene therapy; future studies will test whether it is an effective treatment option. Several studies have already shown that this approach can have very serious health risks, such as toxicity, inflammation, and cancer.
What are cons of gene therapy?
Potential Disadvantages of Gene Therapy Gene therapy poses a number of risks. The way the genes are delivered and the different vectors may present the following risks. DNA mutations The new gene might be inserted in the wrong location in the DNA, which might cause harmful mutations to the DNA or even cancer.
Why should we use gene therapy?
Gene therapy replaces a faulty gene or adds a new gene in an attempt to cure disease or improve your body’s ability to fight disease. Gene therapy holds promise for treating a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS.
What are the social implications of gene therapy?
Social implications of gene therapy It would provide new options for medical ther- apy and imply new responsibilities for making such decisions fairly and for the benefit of both individuals and society.
How is gene therapy effective?
Gene therapy is designed to introduce genetic material into cells to compensate for abnormal genes or to make a beneficial protein. If a mutated gene causes a necessary protein to be faulty or missing, gene therapy may be able to introduce a normal copy of the gene to restore the function of the protein.
How is gene therapy regulated?
Currently gene therapy is regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute of Health (NIH). The FDA looks at safety and control measures associated with gene therapy. Their ap proval is required for all gene therapy protocols. The NIH also plays a large role in regulation.
Is gene therapy against the ethics?
The idea of germline gene therapy is controversial. While it could spare future generations in a family from having a particular genetic disorder, it might affect the development of a fetus in unexpected ways or have long-term side effects that are not yet known.