Human Gene Therapy Essay -- Science Genetics Essays

Human Gene Therapy What is human gene therapy? Human gene therapy is a procedure that is being used in an attempt to treat genetic and other diseases. Many ethical, social and safety concerns are being raised on the use of human genetic engineering. Gene therapy techniques will introduce copies of a "healthy" gene into cells of the body. The disease will be controlled if the introduced genes work normally. This is called somatic gene therapy because it introduces the gene into a somatic or body cell. Any cells that could divide to form sperms or eggs will not have genes introduced into them through somatic gene therapy. The insertion of a single gene into the somatic cells of an individual with a life threatening genetic disease is the somatic cell gene therapy. This type of therapy is intended solely to eliminate the clinical consequences of the disease. Future generations shouldn't have any problems because the inserted gene is not passed down to them. Germ line gene therapy, involves the insertions of a healthy gene into the fertilized egg of an animal that has a specific genetic defect. This has been performed successfully in several animal studies. The new gene is obtained in every cell in the body including reproductive cells. There are three overwhelming technical problems that are preventing consideration of this technique for the use in human beings. "The first is that scientists have no way of diagnosing genetic disorders in the fertilized egg. Secondly, the procedure is most often used to insert genes into fertilized eggs - injection with a microscopically guided glass needle - has a high failure rate and thirdly, the problem is lack of control over where the gene is inserted into the embryo's genetic machinery ... ...n of health insurance. I feel that any person regardless of age, sex, wealth and so on should have the opportunity to have the human gene therapy techniques performed. I also feel that the cost of the procedure of human gene therapy should be in the price range of anyone needing the procedure. Human gene therapy should not be available to only an elite group. Human gene therapy should be used in fetuses if the disease is recognized and if that fetus is in danger of dying. I feel human gene therapy will have a good impact on our society. More funding should be allowed for human gene therapy so more research can be done to improve the techniques for this procedure. References Anderson, W.F., Science, vol 256 pp 808-813, May 8, 1992 . Human Gene Therapy. Nichols, E.K., Human Gene Therapy , Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts (1988) PP 1-251.