Question

Genetics & Society: Genetic Technology: Pick a genetic technology other than genetically modified foods and some application for this technology. What will be the likely benefit or risks involved in this application? Should we use it why or why not? Does the fact that the application involves genetics give some special or unique ethical feature we should be interested in?

Answer 1

Gene therapy

Gene therapy is the set of techniques that use the transfer of genetic material to prevent or cure genetic diseases. It is certainly the best alternative of all possible, but probably also the most complex. It goes directly to the the problem by transferring the correct version of a defective gene, which is the one that is causing the disease.

In gene therapy, the function of the mutated gene can be restored and the most common strategy is the introduction of a normal copy of the gene into the cells. Gene therapy can also inhibit or block the functioning of those genes that contribute to the development of the disease (for example, the oncogenes involved in cancer or the virus genes that are necessary for them to multiply in the cells).

What will be the likely benefit or risks involved in this application? Should we use it why or why not?

Among the main obstacles of this technique is the difficulty of directing the genetic material specifically to those cells or tissues where it is necessary that gene to exert its function, or that the regulation of the introduced gene approximates the way in which the gene is regulated in healthy people. This technique should be used because recently, this technique has been well studied and improved. However, in certain situation the introduction of a gene or the lack of another one would promote secondary symptoms to the patient which could be harmful.

Does the fact that the application involves genetics give some special or unique ethical feature we should be interested in?

Not really, gene therapy is based on the restoration of the normal function of cells and It is not focused in manipulate and reproduce mutated forms of a gene.