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Gene Therapy: Techniques and Ethics

Gene therapy is a medical technique that treats or prevents diseases by replacing defective genes with healthy ones, utilizing methods such as gene replacement, inactivation, or introduction. There are two main types of gene therapy: somatic, which affects non-inheritable cells, and germ-line, which modifies cells that can be passed to future generations. Ethical concerns surrounding gene therapy include the distinction between 'good' and 'bad' uses, accessibility, societal acceptance of differences, and the potential for enhancement of human traits.

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11 views4 pages

Gene Therapy: Techniques and Ethics

Gene therapy is a medical technique that treats or prevents diseases by replacing defective genes with healthy ones, utilizing methods such as gene replacement, inactivation, or introduction. There are two main types of gene therapy: somatic, which affects non-inheritable cells, and germ-line, which modifies cells that can be passed to future generations. Ethical concerns surrounding gene therapy include the distinction between 'good' and 'bad' uses, accessibility, societal acceptance of differences, and the potential for enhancement of human traits.

Uploaded by

rysstamara09
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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GE 217 Science, Technology and , Society

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

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GE 217 Science, Technology and , Society

Module 3
SPECIFIC ISSUES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

Lesson 4 THE ASPECTS OF GENE THERAPY

Gene Therapy is a medical


technique that uses genes in
treating or preventing diseases by
replacing defective genes with healthy ones.

The Basic Process


Source: National Human Genome
There are several approaches to gene Research Institute

therapy. These are the following (Fliesler,


2017):
• Replacement of mutated gene that causes disease with a healthy
copy of the gene
• Inactivation of a mutated gene that is functioning improperly
• Introducing a new gene into the body to help fight a disease

Source: National Institutes of Health

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GE 217 Science, Technology and , Society

A gene cannot be directly inserted into a human gene or cell. It is inserted into
another gene using a carrier or vector.

Two Types of Gene Therapy


• Somatic gene therapy involves the manipulation of genes in cells that
will be helpful to the patient but not inherited to the next generation.
• Germ-line gene therapy involves the genetic modification of germ cells
or the origin cells that will pass the change on to the next generation.

Germline Vs. Somatic Gene Therapy. Image created by Sonya Frazier. Source:
[Link]

Stem Cell Gene Therapy

Stem Cells
• Are mother cells that have the potential to become any type of cell in the
body
• Have the ability to self-renew or multiply while maintaining the potential
to develop into other types of cells
• Can become cells of the blood, heart, bones, skin, muscles, brain,
among others
• Are derived from different sources, two of which are:

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GE 217 Science, Technology and , Society

- The embryonic stem cells, derived from a four- or five-day-old


human embryo that is in the blastocyst phase of development
- The somatic stem cells, cells that exist throughout the body after
embryonic development and are found inside of different types of
tissue

The Bioethics of Gene Therapy


There are ethical issues involved in gene therapy. Some of the inquiries cited
are (Genetics Home Reference, 2017):
1. How can “good” and “bad” uses of gene therapy be distinguished?
2. Who decides which traits are normal and which constitute a disability or
disorder?
3. Will the high costs of gene therapy make it available only to the wealthy?
4. Could the widespread use of gene therapy make society less accepting
of people who are different?
5. Should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance basic human
traits such as height, intelligence, or athletic ability?

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