Gene Therapy

The benefits of gene therapy are demonstrated by it's successful use against genetic diseases. One example of someone who has benefited greatly from the use of gene therapy is an 18 year old man with a severe blood disease called Beta Thalassaemia. This man had been receiving regular blood transfusions since the age of three because he was producing unhealthy red blood cells. Stem cells from his bone marrow were treated with a gene to correct the faulty one. They were than put back into his body, where gradually they began to produce healthy red blood cells. He no longer needs blood transfusions, and he is living a normal life. The team who performed his gene therapy said "At present, approximately three years post-transplantation, the biological and clinical evolution is remarkable and the patients quality of life is good." Many other people have also already benefited from gene therapy. Gene therapy has greatly improved the vision of four individuals who had suffered from hereditary blindness. The treatment was also proven safe in the four people who received the genes. No new technology has ever been developed without risk. When the Salk vaccine was created, many people were against it because of the risk that a small number of people would get polio. But now we are so grateful we have it, for it has saved so many lives and cases of polio are now very rare because of this vaccine that people didn't support at first. Many cancer medications also had a very high risk factor at first, and then they were developed further and proven to be very successful. There are always setbacks and successes, and people learn from these and are able to produce amazing life changing things because of it. Gene therapy may not be perfect yet, but it has the potential to change lives and families. It protects individuals from disease, it protects people who may not be born yet from disease, and it helps us further understand the way humans work. Many people also have ethical concerns about gene therapy. Most of which have to do with God, or with discrimination. I already mentioned this, but many people believe that altering the genetic make up of someone is "playing god". They believe that we do not have the skill or the authority to change someone's genes, even if it does mean that their life would be drastically improved. Also, some people believe that gene therapy is a way of attempting to improve God's work. They believe that we need to be satisfied with what we were given, and not try and change ourselves. I can understand how this could be an issue for people with strong religious views, but I believe that giving someone a chance at a normal, healthy life is far more important than honoring God, and letting people suffer. Brandi Rocholl stated in his article that many people just don't fully understand gene therapy and how life changing it can be for so many people. "I think more people would be on board it they chose to educate themselves about gene therapy, and if they understood how life changing and amazing it can be for individuals and families." Another issue people have with gene therapy is discrimination. Some people think that people performing gene therapy are discriminating against people who have genetic disorders because they are trying to get rid of their condition. When in reality, they are trying to get rid of their condition to give them a chance at a better life.