Gene Therapy: 5 Claims

DNA is material that makes up the human genome
and holds the secret to treating several diseases

In my last post, I talked about connections to historical themes and communication with hotspots regenerative medicine. Gene therapy offers a more modern personalized approach to individual medical treatments and regenerative medicine. As this subset of medicine advances, it will require patients and doctors to adapt to the new discoveries and treatments that develop. However, in navigating this new frontier, it is important to consider the wider implications of gene-based medical treatments and how they will be implemented.

Join me in considering the following 5 claims about the future of this research.

[Policy Claim]:

• Although it restricts others, the government should patents that prevent the use of genes in alternative medical treatments because it helps companies recuperate the costs of developing new treatments.

[Definition Claim]:

• Although gene therapy can incorporate newer alternative medicine techniques, alternative medicine and gene therapy are not the same because gene therapy focuses on the human genome as the target for treatment.

[Comparison Claim]:

• Even though gene therapy uses cloning in its experimentation, they are unlike one another because gene therapy is not focused on recreating life or copying genes.

[Evaluation Claim]:

• Even though current medical treatments solve most common ailments, gene-targeted medical treatments have the potential to be more effective because the use of bioinformatics and AI can improve patient diagnosis, as well as offering personalized medical treatments.

[Causal Claim]:

• While unregulated genetic testing could lead to unethical experimentation, overactive government regulation can cripple genetic therapy before it is developed because it will limit research opportunities and commercial use of treatments.

While reflecting on the possibilities, I am amazed at what could come of a future where medical treatments can be determined by something as specific as my genetic code. However, it also opens me up to many thoughts and concerns I have about that future. For example, if my DNA became a part of my medical history, would alleles that correspond with known diseases constitute a diagnosis even if I do not yet show symptoms? At what point should the government intervene in order to allow the furthest advancement but also prevent unethical testing? These concerns could very well be at the heart of future treatment options that are offered to us and our children.

What other questions or concerns might you have, if any, about the future of gene-based medical treatments?