What are the ethical issues surrounding gene therapy?: MedlinePlus Genetics (2024)

FAQs

What are the ethical issues surrounding gene therapy?: MedlinePlus Genetics? ›

Additionally, both genetic and nongenetic tests can provide information about a person's medical future. As such, some authors have concluded that many genetic test results “may cause stigmatization, family discord and psychological distress.

Additionally, both genetic and nongenetic tests can provide information about a person's medical future. As such, some authors have concluded that many genetic test results “may cause stigmatization, family discord and psychological distress.

The greatest area of concern for the application of gene therapy to brain conditions is the fear of not receiving sufficient information before undergoing the treatment. The main ethical concerns with enhancement were the potential for disparities in resource allocation, access to the procedure, and discrimination.

The major ethical issues for gene therapy (and the corresponding ethical principles) are safety (nonmalfeasance), efficacy (beneficence), informed consent (autonomy), and allocation of resources (justice).

Arguments Against Gene Therapy

Three arguments sometimes raised against gene therapy are that it is technically too dangerous, that it discriminates or invites discrimination against persons with disabilities, and that it may be becoming increasingly irrelevant in some cases.

There are a few ethical dilemmas that cause people concern. Being able to actually procure the information that lies in the DNA's structure could result in people being discriminated against for a job or insurance coverage. Another issue that causes controversy is the prospect of selection of fetuses during pregnancy.

Genetic therapies hold promise to treat many diseases, but they are still new approaches to treatment and may have risks. Potential risks could include certain types of cancer, allergic reactions, or damage to organs or tissues if an injection is involved.

There is broad agreement among researchers, bioethicists, and other stakeholders that gene therapy, including gene editing, of somatic cells can be ethical approaches for the treatment of disease.

Germline gene therapy poses risks not only to patients but also to future generations. Germline gene therapy raises difficult ethical questions related to tampering with human nature, enhancing human traits, parental control over children, discrimination, social justice and eugenics.

Summary. Genetic ethics is the study of the moral and political implications of (A) discoveries in the field of genetics (B) advances in genetic technology.

What is the most difficult problem in gene therapy? ›

Immune response

Gene-delivery vectors must be able to avoid the body's natural surveillance system. An unwelcome immune response could cause serious illness or even death. The story of Jesse Gelsinger illustrates this challenge.

A potential abuse of genetic engineering is to give people genetic information about which they can do nothing, a trend that could encourage genetic fatalism.

Some people believe genetic engineering is morally wrong because it interferes with God's plan for humanity. They believe that we are playing with fire by altering the genes of living organisms and that this could have catastrophic consequences for both humans and the environment.

Ethical issues are defined as situations that occur as a result of a moral conflict that must be addressed. Thus, ethical issues tend to interfere with a society's principles.

Although genetic technologies have a great potential to change the medical practice as we know it, it also has a potential to be misused and lead to further health disparities, discrimination and inequality in the human societies around the world.

This presentation summarises their core ethical arguments. Five sets of ethical concerns have been raised about GM crops: potential harm to human health; potential damage to the environment; negative impact on traditional farming practice; excessive corporate dominance; and the 'unnaturalness' of the technology.

PROTECT PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY

Most instances of misuse arise from violations of the confidentiality and privacy of genetic information. Physicians should not share patients' genetic information with third parties or release it to agencies without the patient's consent, unless required by law.

There are a number of well-recognized ethical concerns about large-scale genomic biorepositories, including (1) the initial consent process, (2) concerns about privacy and confidentiality, and (3) reconsent for further studies or at the time when a child turns 18 years old.

Therefore, therapeutic somatic gene editing is ethically acceptable. However, although gene editing for enhancement purposes brings up ethical questions, it does not threaten human nature, and therefore requires further discussion.

Challenges of cell therapy include the harvesting of the appropriate cell populations and expansion or isolation of sufficient cells for one or multiple patients. Cell harvesting may require specific media to maintain the stem cells ability to self-renew and mature into the appropriate cells.

What are some examples of gene therapy? ›

Gene therapies are being used to treat a small number of diseases, including an eye disorder called Leber congenital amaurosis and a muscle disorder called spinal muscular atrophy. Many more gene therapies are undergoing research to make sure that they will be safe and effective.

Genetic engineering and selective breeding appear to violate animal rights, because they involve manipulating animals for human ends as if the animals were nothing more than human property, rather than treating the animals as being of value in themselves.

Describe the potential advantages and disadvantages of gene therapy. Advantages- has ability to replace defective cells and can help eradicate diseases. Disadvantages- can damage gene pool and has potential to give rise in other disorders.

In some cases, genetic testing creates tension within a family because the results can reveal information about other family members in addition to the person who is tested. The possibility of genetic discrimination in employment or insurance is also a concern.

There are basically three types of gene therapy: ex vivo, in vivo, and in situ.

Ethical issues that arise from modern biotechnologies include the availability and use of privileged information, potential for ecological harm, access to new drugs and treatments, and the idea of interfering with nature. Applications include agriculture and health care.

Long-standing ethical principles for genetics research help respect and protect research participants, and they are especially important for preventing harm to marginalized or vulnerable populations.

How many people have been treated with gene therapy? ›

Since 2016, more than 10,000 people have been treated with it worldwide.

Although several protocols have been successful, the gene therapy process remains complex, and many techniques need new developments. The specific body cells that need treatment should be identified and accessible.

With gene therapy, doctors deliver a healthy copy of a gene to cells inside the body. This healthy gene may replace a damaged (mutated) gene, inactivate a mutated gene or introduce an entirely new gene. Carriers, called vectors, transport these healthy genes into cells.

They can replace a gene that is missing or is causing a problem. They can add genes to the body to help treat disease. Or they can turn off genes that are causing problems.

Misuse of genetic information can adversely affect a person's access to healthcare, employment, and other rights. Given the broad range of potential issues, definitions of genetic discrimination can vary by context, institution and country.

Gene transfer therapy introduces new genetic material into cells. If an altered gene causes a necessary protein to be faulty or missing, gene transfer therapy can introduce a normal copy of the gene to recover the function of the protein.

In a large number of instances, when patients receive the results of genetic tests, they are party to information that directly concerns their biologic relatives as well. This familial quality of genetic information raises ethical quandaries for physicians, particularly related to their duty of confidentiality.

Reasons to ban germline gene editing include the profound risks to future children, thin medical justifications, reinforcing existing inequalities and creating new forms of discrimination, eroding public trust in responsible science, and undermining global agreements.

The key areas of controversy related to genetically modified food (GM food or GMO food) are whether such food should be labeled, the role of government regulators, the objectivity of scientific research and publication, the effect of genetically modified crops on health and the environment, the effect on pesticide ...

The main ethical concerns are that women and their partners are fully informed of the aim of screening, that they may be confronted with challenging information, and that they understand that they are free to make their own reproductive choices.

What is the issue with genetic screening? ›

Genetic testing can provide only limited information about an inherited condition. The test often can't determine if a person will show symptoms of a disorder, how severe the symptoms will be, or whether the disorder will progress over time.

This presentation summarises their core ethical arguments. Five sets of ethical concerns have been raised about GM crops: potential harm to human health; potential damage to the environment; negative impact on traditional farming practice; excessive corporate dominance; and the 'unnaturalness' of the technology.

The benefits to partaking in the genetic testing or diagnostic testing is that knowing the information in advance can help parents prepare themselves for a baby that may have special needs. However, these tests do slightly increase the risk of miscarriage and other pregnancy complications.

Genetic therapies hold promise to treat many diseases, but they are still new approaches to treatment and may have risks. Potential risks could include certain types of cancer, allergic reactions, or damage to organs or tissues if an injection is involved.

Genetic ethics is the study of the moral and political implications of (A) discoveries in the field of genetics (B) advances in genetic technology.

Arguments against genetic screening

Some feel that genetic screening would lead to discrimination of those individuals, which possess "inferior" genes. Second, people fear that genetic screening will lead to reproductive decisions being based on the genetics of their child.