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Benefit of genetic modified organism
Advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering
Advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering
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There are many kinds of treatments and therapies for certain diseases and disorders. For example, cancer patients might receive chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Although these treatments may work or help some patients, there is another option that is evolving. Research and experimental testing have helped scientists discover a new way of treating and possibly curing various diseases and disorders such as influenza, HIV, hepatitis, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.Gene Therapy was first discovered in the middle of the 1980’s and was successful in it’s very first trial. Gene Therapy could possibly become the major treatment or even the cure among many diseases and disorders in the near future. Scientists and researchers are working …show more content…
According to the National Institute of Health, “Several studies have already shown that this approach can have serious health risks, such as toxicity, inflammation, and cancer. Some risks may be unpredictable.” Patients need to be able to understand these risks and be able to freely decide whether they want to agree to GT treatment or not. Since the risks are so severe, no patient should be unaware of the flaws involved with this type of treatment. A fatal trial in 1999 made it very clear how fragile GT still is even with all of the new technology and discoveries. Jesse Gelsinger had a rare liver disease and participated in a gene therapy trial. He had an inflammatory response after receiving a dose of experimental adenovirus vector and died. This event halted all trials in the U.S.. Since then, researchers have found ways to avoid inflammatory responses to viral vectors in order to insert the genes in a less life threatening way.Overall the downsides can be very severe, but new research will help make it a much safer and more available treatment over …show more content…
According to an article by Derek Whitney, “As early as 1990, patients with immune disorders have been successfully treated with the introduction of genetic material into the patient’s white blood cells.While the material needs to be constantly introduced to the patient and is not a permanent cure, GT has been shown to drastically improve the quality of life for patients with this type of disease.” On September 4, 1990, a four year old girl became the first GT patient. She had adenosine deaminase deficiency (an immune disorder) which made her defenseless against infections. They took white blood cells out and replaced them with normal genes for making adenosine deaminase. Ten years later she was still healthy and benefitting from the treatment. She had developed a stronger immune system and maintained a normal WBC count.GT has also made a huge impact on patients dealing with leukemia. At a cancer center in Pennsylvania, patients with lymphocytic leukemia had T-cells removed and genetically rebuilt so they would become weapons against the cancer cells. 26 of the 59 patients are now cancer free. Many people may believe the negatives of GT are too risky to attempt, but with the success it has had with such serious diseases, it may be well worth the risks and time it
Germline gene therapy is where the correct "good" gene is inserted into the germline in place of the defective "bad" gene, and when reproduction occurs the gene will be passed on to the progeny. Inserting the "good" gene into the very early embryo sta ges of development allows for both germline and somatic cells to be corrected. Government has limited the research to only somatic cell gene therapy such as performed in Cystic Fibrosis research.
There have been four somewhat recent successful gene therapy treatments. The four deal with correcting hemophilia, bone marrow transplants, skin cancer, and vessel growth. In the success with the bone marrow transplants, French researchers collected bone marrow cells from patients, used gene therapy to correct the bone marrow, and then returned the bone marrow to the patient. This was 80% successful as reports 16 months after the transplants showed. Squamous cell carcinoma, skin cancer of the head and neck, was treated using gene therapy as well. The fourth trial was where DNA was used to carry a substance that stimulates blood vessel growth to damaged heart tissue and in this trial there was much success noted.
It was in the 1980’s that scientist began looking at alternative ways of treatments, one is gene therapy. Scientist would insert human genes into a bacteria cell. Then the bacteria cell would transcribe and translate the information into a protein. Once that is done the scientist would then introduce the protein into human cells. Gene therapy can be simply viewed as inserting bits of foreign DNA into a patient’s tissue in hope...
However, the Human Genome Project has identified all 25,000 genes. This information will help scientists find more ways to cure and possibly prevent diseases. It will be years before gene therapy is used to treat certain diseases, but we are on the road to revolutionizing medicine and how it is used. In the future, we may be able to completely abolish certain genetic diseases (Gene Therapy and Children). The possibilities are endless.
Every year countless people are diagnosed with cell based diseases, 7.6 million a year alone receive the petrifying news that they have cancer. But what if we could eliminate the idea that a cancerous diagnosis is the equivalent of a death sentence? The use of embryonic stem cells could, for the first time, make diseases like cancer or parkinson a non-issue. This is why the use of embryonic stem cells should not be viewed as unethical but rather a huge step towards unthinkable medical breakthroughs and the eradication of life threatening diseases.
Over 40 years ago, two men by the names of James Watson and Francis Crick discovered deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. DNA is hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms (What is DNA?). From this finding, gene therapy evolved. Today, researchers are able to isolate certain specific genes, repair them, and use them to help cure diseases such as cystic fibrosis and hemophilia. However, as great as this sounds, there are numerous ethical and scientific issues that will arise because of religion and safety.
Many researchers were successful in curing both the genetic and non-genetic diseases by altering the somatic cells of the individual. It has been accepted as a good practice. The main reason is only the individual in question receives the altered somatic cells but it will not pass to his off-spring. Thus it doesn’t change the original genetic structure of that individual. Public debate over the ethics of using gene therapy began after the research of the recombinant DNA technology started in 1960.
Gene therapy gives people who suffer from genetic diseases a chance to lead a normal life. Dangerous diseases, such as AIDS, SCID, Thalassemia and ADA can be cured successfully. In September 5, 2006, two people with advanced melanoma received Gene therapy and they got recovery soon. This is a breakthrough in cancer gene therapy. Gene therapy uses patients own cells to cure diseases, and, therefore, no rejection to their bodies. Furthermore, patients could get permanent cure from gene therapy without recurrence.
Genetic engineering is now being used to create new medicines and therapies for many disorders and diseases, and also to improve agricultural plants and animals to produce bigger yields or enhanced nutrient composition and food quality. In Gene therapy, copies of healthy human genes produced in bacteria can be inserted into human cells with defective or missing genes, to fix the problem. Gene therapy is promising because it can use to treat genetic
Genetic Engineering has recently become a contentious topic within medical and social circles. Controversial topics such as Sex Selection and Designer Babies are linked to Genetic engineering. They are destructive in every circumstance. Genetic Engineering is detrimental towards the individual and all posterity.
Since its inception, gene therapy has captured the attention of the public and ethics disciplines as a therapeutic application of human genetic engineering. The latter, in particular, has lead to concerns about germline modification and questions about the distinction between therapy and enhancement. The development of the gene therapy field and its progress to the clinic has not been without controversy. Although initially considered as a promising approach for treating the genetic of disease, the field has attracted disappointment for failing to fulfil its potential. With the resolution of many of the barriers that restricted the progress of gene therapy and increasing reports of clinical success, it is now generally recognised that earlier expectations may have been premature.
Gene therapy enables patients to survive incurable diseases. In the field of genetic diseases, ADA-SCID, CGD and hemophilia are three main ones. ADA-SCID is known as the bubble boy disease. CGD is related to immune system that would lead to fungal infections which are fatal. Patients with Hemophilia are not able to induce bold bleeding (Gene therapy for diseases, 2011). Gene therapy also has good effects on cancer treatment and neurodegenerative diseases, which include Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Viral infections, including influenza, HIV and hepatitis can also be treats by it (Gene therapy for diseases, 2011). According to the Science Daily in 2011, gene therapy now can apply to heart failures and neurologic diseases as well.
Due to the fact that the field of biotechnology is very serious and potentially dangerous, rules must be set down in order to keep the research in check. The high risk research of genetic therapy needs guidelines that have to be followed in order to keep the study just. The articles that are discussed in this essay focus on ethical issues and ideas that should be followed in the field in order to keep research safe and valid.
Position Paper: Gene Therapy in Humans. Advancements in science and medicine are usually accompanied by a myriad of ethical and moral implications. The fairly recent advancement in genetics, called gene therapy, is no exception to the baggage of polarizing views that come with new technology. Gene therapy is an extremely hot topic in both the scientific world and everyday life. New technology, discoveries, and breakthroughs are rapidly occurring in the field every day.
Genetic engineering seems decades away, but through modern technology, it has recently entered the human realm. Some believe genetic engineering will bring forth great advancements in the human brain and body, but instead some believe one mistake creates a world where every child will be genetically engineered just to keep up with the rest of society. Many times, the media plays a very strong role in the image of this issue, and masks the true identity of this social injustice. However, what forms of genetic engineering can be done in humans today? What is in store for the future? What are the risks and what could be the possible benefits? Currently gene therapy is one of the only ways to change the genetic makeup of an animal or human. Also,