Gene therapy is a very risky process. The risks can sometimes out way the pros. Some people are really sick and need to have these things done to increase their quality of life. Why wouldn’t you want to increase your quality of life? At the same time, some people are using gene therapy to make physical changes to themselves. For example, making themselves stronger or smarter. Do you really think you’re going to spontaneously know more by getting a gene that makes you smarter.
According to Genetics home reference, “Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent disease.” This makes perfect sense why you would do it, if you have a disease. Why would you do this and take time from the doctor who can be saving someone's …show more content…
My first question, how can they do it? According to Kids Health, there are two different types of gene therapy. The first type is somatic gene therapy. Kids Health says, “(Somatic gene therapy)Involves introducing a ‘good’ gene into targeted cells to treat the patient — but not the patient's future children because these genes do not get passed along to offspring. In other words, even though some of the patient's genes may be altered to treat a disease, it won't change the chance that the disease will be passed on to the patient's children. This is the more common form of gene therapy being done.” (Gene Therapy and Kids.) This type involves attaching the gene to a virus called a vector. The other type is germline. Kids Health says, “(Germline gene therapy)Involves modifying the genes in egg or sperm cells, which will then pass any genetic changes to future generations. Experimenting with this type of therapy, scientists injected fragments of DNA into fertilized mouse eggs. The mice grew into adults and their offspring had the new gene. Scientists found that certain growth and fertility problems could be corrected with this therapy, which led them to think that the same could be true for humans. Although it has potential for preventing inherited disease, germline gene therapy is controversial and very little research is being done, for technical and ethical reasons.” (Gene Therapy and Kids.)This is the less common type of gene …show more content…
They want to make themselves smarter, stronger, etc. Why can’t people just like themselves the way they are? I feel that changing that kind of stuff is messing with the way you were created. Combining the thousands of dollars it costs and the risks, it's not worth it. I read a quote by an unknown author that said “You were given this life because you were strong enough to live it.” (May I Find Peace in This Uncertain World) That kind of gene therapy goes against everything the quote was saying. That makes your life easier than what you were given. You were put in a situation not because someone wants you to fail but they want you to succeed.
In conclusion, gene therapy could be a very positive thing. Yet again, people being people had to find a way to turn something good into a selfish act to help themselves instead of helping those who could use it for good. I agree with most of the aspects of gene therapy but not the ones that don’t have to do with genetic disorders. There are many risks that scientists are trying to reduce. I think that one day gene therapy will be a great option for those with genetic disorders. Now all that you and I have to do is
According to Genetics home reference, “Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent disease.” This makes perfect sense why you would do it, if you have a disease. Why would you do this and take time from the doctor who can be saving someone's …show more content…
My first question, how can they do it? According to Kids Health, there are two different types of gene therapy. The first type is somatic gene therapy. Kids Health says, “(Somatic gene therapy)Involves introducing a ‘good’ gene into targeted cells to treat the patient — but not the patient's future children because these genes do not get passed along to offspring. In other words, even though some of the patient's genes may be altered to treat a disease, it won't change the chance that the disease will be passed on to the patient's children. This is the more common form of gene therapy being done.” (Gene Therapy and Kids.) This type involves attaching the gene to a virus called a vector. The other type is germline. Kids Health says, “(Germline gene therapy)Involves modifying the genes in egg or sperm cells, which will then pass any genetic changes to future generations. Experimenting with this type of therapy, scientists injected fragments of DNA into fertilized mouse eggs. The mice grew into adults and their offspring had the new gene. Scientists found that certain growth and fertility problems could be corrected with this therapy, which led them to think that the same could be true for humans. Although it has potential for preventing inherited disease, germline gene therapy is controversial and very little research is being done, for technical and ethical reasons.” (Gene Therapy and Kids.)This is the less common type of gene …show more content…
They want to make themselves smarter, stronger, etc. Why can’t people just like themselves the way they are? I feel that changing that kind of stuff is messing with the way you were created. Combining the thousands of dollars it costs and the risks, it's not worth it. I read a quote by an unknown author that said “You were given this life because you were strong enough to live it.” (May I Find Peace in This Uncertain World) That kind of gene therapy goes against everything the quote was saying. That makes your life easier than what you were given. You were put in a situation not because someone wants you to fail but they want you to succeed.
In conclusion, gene therapy could be a very positive thing. Yet again, people being people had to find a way to turn something good into a selfish act to help themselves instead of helping those who could use it for good. I agree with most of the aspects of gene therapy but not the ones that don’t have to do with genetic disorders. There are many risks that scientists are trying to reduce. I think that one day gene therapy will be a great option for those with genetic disorders. Now all that you and I have to do is