Gene Therapy

[Iepilei]

Among the readings in the scientific community, nothing I've read fascinates me more than the prospect of advanced gene therapy. The ability to essentially eliminate hazardous genetic-based diseases may bode well for the future of humanity.

This brings me to my point: Do you think that people planning to have children and have a known or detectable history of genetic diseases should be required to undergo gene therapy for the betterment of the child? Especially in parents with problems such as asthsma and diabetes?

What do you think?

[FriedFrog]

It is a policy awfully reminiscent of the Nazis: Striving for a perfect race.

However, the benefits are obvious, its just whether it is ethically correct, which is what a lot of science is about these days. Especially biological sciences.


What are some of the ethical considerations for using gene therapy?
--Some Questions to Consider...

What is normal and what is a disability or disorder, and who decides?


Are disabilities diseases? Do they need to be cured or prevented?


Does searching for a cure demean the lives of individuals presently affected by disabilities?


Is somatic gene therapy (which is done in the adult cells of persons known to have the disease) more or less ethical than germline gene therapy (which is done in egg and sperm cells and prevents the trait from being passed on to further generations)? In cases of somatic gene therapy, the procedure may have to be repeated in future generations.


Preliminary attempts at gene therapy are exorbitantly expensive. Who will have access to these therapies? Who will pay for their use?


A very difficult situation, really.

[Iepilei]

I realise it can be passed off as eugenics, but nature does it in it's own way as well. The only difference is, with modern medicine, we're prolonging a handful of diseases which could be passed from generation to generation. The purpose would be, simply, to eradicate these ailments and make sure that our future generations are not troubled by them.

Even Che had asthma, a condition that could have possibly killed him at a very early stage in his life. But I do agree that it is a very sensitve subject which must be controlled as tightly as it can to ensure we're not doing any long-term damage.

:ph34r:

[FriedFrog]

Because this is a relatively new science aswell, I'm assuming that the effects of it are not fully recorded. What if tampering with a gene that caused, for example, asthma gave someone something like incredibly efficient lungs.

Could this be seen as accidental eugenics?

I'm no expert in this (obviously) but what if there were side effects from tampering with genes? Would it still be acceptable then?

[Iepilei]

Originally posted by NoMan,[email protected] 27 2005, 10:57 PM
Because this is a relatively new science aswell, I'm assuming that the effects of it are not fully recorded. What if tampering with a gene that caused, for example, asthma gave someone something like incredibly efficient lungs.

Could this be seen as accidental eugenics?

I'm no expert in this (obviously) but what if there were side effects from tampering with genes? Would it still be acceptable then?
You pose a very good concern. The research being conducted now, within very limited means, is doing it's best to map out the genetic structure of people. That which scares me the most, like what you brought up, is the potential mutation of humanity.

Sounds like something out of a science fiction film, but we find ourselves getting closer to attaining it every day.

Not too long ago, there was a death caused by vector-cell injection which ended up shocking the liver of the patient. His death brought up many questions and concerns; especially regarding the safety of this new procedure. I'm not sure, though, if the effects would range to be as extreme as your example.

But I, as well, am no expert in this.

:ph34r:

[Iepilei]

An interesting article (PDF) on the subject at hand...

http://www.asgt.org/member_resources/recen...op/overview.pdf (http://www.asgt.org/member_resources/recent_course_materials/workshop/overview.pdf)

:ph34r: