Daniel,+Joe,+Zak+-+Gene+Therapy

Daniel, Joe and Zak's page Is gene therapy messing with nature? = What is gene Therapy =

Gene tharapy is the use of genes for medicine Genes which are carried in cromosomes are the basic physical and functional units of heredity. Gene therapy may be used to replace a faulty gene, or to introduce a new gene whose function is to cure or to favourably modify the clinical course of a condition Germline gene therapy is a way of gene therapy that is very controversial, it is inserting a gene into sperm or egg cells stopping hereditary diseases. But it has ethical issues because the people having the therapy are not yet born and can therefore not decide if they want the therapy. Research into this sort of gene therapy is not allowed to be funded by the government.

= Gene therapy Pros = The human race has always been under the continuous onslaught of diseases. As we find the cure for some of the diseases can be cured through medicine, we are attacked by new and more lethal forms of germs. Although such diseases can be cured through medicines, genetic disorders have no cure unless the defective gene is replaced by the correct one and this is what gene therapy aims at. Moreover, by targeting the reproductive cells, such defects can be got rid of for good. People suffering from genetic disorders like Parkinson’s disease, are some of those whose only hope for cure is gene therapy. Gene Therapy has been able to fix a rare form of blindness called Leber's congenital amaurosis scientists belive that this was a big breakthrough for gene therapy.
 * Gene therapy may lead to reverting genetically-prone illnesses saving us from many forms of cancers and other inherited diseases.
 * Gene therapy helps us understand the way our bodies defend diseases
 * Gene therapy will make us healthier
 * Gene therapy will help humans by decreasing the amount of deaths and illnesses related to genetic conditions.
 * Saving immense money from the expenses incurred with treatments for various conditions.

= Gene therapy cons = 1.When they put the new gene in the body sometimes the body doesn’t like it and can kill the gene then they have to do it again.

2.It is very expensive and people that might need might not be able to afford it. Gene therapy also has the potential to increase a humans capability so we will eventually all become perfect people and life will become boring.

3.The basic gene therapy definition would mean the insertion of genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat a certain disease. Gene therapy is becoming increasingly popular in medicine, and many leading scientists believe that genes hold the keys for many currently incurable diseases.

4.Gene therapy is in its early development phase, and it will take lots of years and lots of researches before gene therapy can be used appropriately for treating diseases.

5.At present time most of gene therapy studies have aim to provide better treatment options for cancer and some hereditary genetic diseases.

6.The most common approach used in gene therapy is insertion of the normal gene into a nonspecific location within the genome to replace a nonfunctional gene.

7.Gene therapy is not completely safe treatment option, for instance if the DNA is integrated in the wrong place in the genome, it it could even induce a tumor. Deaths as the result of gene therapy have already occurred. = Gene Therapy for Cancer = Scientists are studying multiple ways to prevent cancer with gene therapy. One way is to target healthy cells to help the body fight cancer, the other way is attacking the cancer cells to destroy them. = Religious Views on Gene Therapy = People believe that the manipulation of ones genes should be in the hands of a greater being they also believe we will be burnt for trying to play god. = Bibliography = www.ndsu.edu www.buzzle.com http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2004377817_vision28.html www.secretsofhealthylife.com www.ornl.gov http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/therapy/ethics http://gene-therapy.yolasite.com