Alysha Cozlowsky-Gordon

Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent disease (Genetics, 2013). DNA can be used to modify genes within an individual's cells. The most common form of gene therapy involves using DNA that encodes a functional, therapeutic gene to replace a mutated gene (Wiki, 2013). Another form involves directly correcting a mutation, or using DNA that encodes a therapeutic protein drug to provide treatment (Wiki, 2013). In gene therapy, DNA that encodes a therapeutic protein is packaged within a "vector", which is used to get the DNA inside cells within the body. Once inside, the DNA becomes expressed by the cell machinery, resulting in the production of therapeutic protein, which in turn treats the patient's disease (Wiki, 2013).

(Image found from Wiki,2013) An example of a disorder would be Cystic fibrosis. The objective of using gene therapy for Cystic fibrosis is for the replacement of transmembrane regulatory enzymes. The targeted

cell would be the respiratory epithelium, and the mode of delivery would be Adenovirus, liposomes (Misra, 2013). Some disadvantages of gene therapy include: controversy of ethical and legal problems, costs, choice of children's traits will lead to homogeneity or sameness, discrimination of people that carry genes which have no benefit in society, etc...(Genemodification, 2009) The distinction between gene therapy for disease genes and gene therapy to enhance desired traits is not always clear. It is obvious that diseases which cause suffering, disability, and, possibly death are good candidates for gene therapy. However, there is a fine line between what is considered a "disease", such as the dwarfism disorder achondroplasia, and what is considered a "trait" in an otherwise healthy individual, such as short stature (Bergeson,2013). Though gene therapy for the correction of potentially socially unacceptable traits, or the improvement of desirable ones, could enhance the quality of life for an individual, some ethicists fear gene therapy for trait enhancement could negatively impact what society deems "normal" and could increased discrimination toward those with an "undesirable" trait. As the functions of many genes continue to be discovered, the difficulty increases to define which gene traits are considered to be diseases versus to those that should be classified as physical, mental, or psychological traits (Bergeson,2013).

Sources:
Bergeson, E. R. (2013) Ethical and Social Issues in Gene Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.genetherapynet.com.

Garay, A. (2011) Disadvantages of Gene Therapy. Retrieved from http://genemodification.pbworks.com.

Misra, S. (February 2013) Human Gene Therapy : A Brief Overview of the Genetic Revolution. Retrieved from http://www.japi.org.

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (November 4, 2013) What is gene therapy? Retrieved from http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov.

Wikipedia contributors. (November 2013 ) Gene therapy. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org