Gene Therapy Essay -- Genetics Science Papers

Gene Therapy I. Introduction With the human genome project now completed, identifying our DNA, the next step forward is being taken to analyze this information and apply it in a helpful context. As we discover which genes affect and trigger the different traits humans possess, new questions result pertaining to potential problems in our DNA as well as genetic enhancement opportunities. In theory, once a problem is pinpointed within a person’s DNA, there exists a possibility for correcting this defect. Gene therapy is a technique used for correcting defective genes responsible for disease development. This relatively new idea sparks much controversy when societal implications are examined. Bill Joy, chief scientist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, comments that â€Å"we can easily imagine an arms race developing over GNR [genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics] technologies, as it did with the NBC [nuclear, chemical, and biological] technologies in the 20th century†¦.This time†¦we are n't in a war †¦we are driven, instead, by our habits, our desires, our economic system, and our competitive need to know (Joy, 2000)." This paper provides an in depth look at gene therapy including a description as well as an examination of gene therapy as it affects societal issues. Faced with different applications for the recent knowledge gained in gene therapy, ethical considerations must be analyzed so that society can move forward with caution. II. Gene Therapy Review Gene therapy, with its first clinical trial in 1990, is a relatively new field that leaves much open to be explored. The idea of gene therapy focuses on locating the defective gene and treating it so that the fixed gene functions correctly by producing prot... ...e Without Wisdom: Human Genetic Engineering without Religious Insight. Christian Bioethics, 8, (2), pp147-63. â€Å"Gene Therapy†. (October 2004). Human Genome Project Information. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genetherapy.shtml#status. Joy, Bill. (April 2000). Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us. Wired, 8, (4). Silva, Fred G. (September 2002). Ethics of the New Biology and Genetic Medicine (Molecular Ethics). Pathology International, 52, (9), pp555-62. Thompson, Richard E. (May 2003). Does Patenting Genes Change the Meaning of Life? Physician Executive, 29, (3), pp40-43. Williams, D. (December 2002). Public Confidence in Medical Technology. Medical Device Technology, 13, (10), pp11-3. Wright, Richard T. (2003). Biology through the Eyes of Faith. New York : HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Gene Therapy Essay -- Genetics Science Papers Gene Therapy I. Introduction With the human genome project now completed, identifying our DNA, the next step forward is being taken to analyze this information and apply it in a helpful context. As we discover which genes affect and trigger the different traits humans possess, new questions result pertaining to potential problems in our DNA as well as genetic enhancement opportunities. In theory, once a problem is pinpointed within a person’s DNA, there exists a possibility for correcting this defect. Gene therapy is a technique used for correcting defective genes responsible for disease development. This relatively new idea sparks much controversy when societal implications are examined. Bill Joy, chief scientist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems, comments that â€Å"we can easily imagine an arms race developing over GNR [genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics] technologies, as it did with the NBC [nuclear, chemical, and biological] technologies in the 20th century†¦.This time†¦we are n't in a war †¦we are driven, instead, by our habits, our desires, our economic system, and our competitive need to know (Joy, 2000)." This paper provides an in depth look at gene therapy including a description as well as an examination of gene therapy as it affects societal issues. Faced with different applications for the recent knowledge gained in gene therapy, ethical considerations must be analyzed so that society can move forward with caution. II. Gene Therapy Review Gene therapy, with its first clinical trial in 1990, is a relatively new field that leaves much open to be explored. The idea of gene therapy focuses on locating the defective gene and treating it so that the fixed gene functions correctly by producing prot... ...e Without Wisdom: Human Genetic Engineering without Religious Insight. Christian Bioethics, 8, (2), pp147-63. â€Å"Gene Therapy†. (October 2004). Human Genome Project Information. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genetherapy.shtml#status. Joy, Bill. (April 2000). Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us. Wired, 8, (4). Silva, Fred G. (September 2002). Ethics of the New Biology and Genetic Medicine (Molecular Ethics). Pathology International, 52, (9), pp555-62. Thompson, Richard E. (May 2003). Does Patenting Genes Change the Meaning of Life? Physician Executive, 29, (3), pp40-43. Williams, D. (December 2002). Public Confidence in Medical Technology. Medical Device Technology, 13, (10), pp11-3. Wright, Richard T. (2003). Biology through the Eyes of Faith. New York : HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.