Gene Therapy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gene Therapy - Research Paper Example A vector is used in gene therapy as a package for delivering the useful DNA into the cells of the body (Mayo Clinic, 1). In line with the current challenges that continue to plague the field of healthcare such as increased incidences of antibiotic resistance, gene therapy will become a major treatment strategy in the future management and control of ailments. There is bound to be a lot of debate and emotion surrounding whether mankind should or should not embrace this treatment regime as diseases will become untreatable through conventional ways. With advanced knowledge of the subject, however, gene therapy will be useful in the future management of diseases. When gene therapy was initially thought of in 1973, the pioneers of the concept called for utmost caution in the attempts to use this technique on humans. A 1990 United States experiment treated a patient (DeSilva Ashanti) of ADA-SCID in an FDA-allowed procedure. Initially, failures with the technique led to many people writing it off but these assumptions have since changed drastically following several successful trials in the period after 2006 (Kelly, 348). As of 2014 January, over 2,000 trials were actively being pursued. Gene therapy is an important issue in healthcare as it offers immense hope in finally treating diseases that are currently untreatable such as HIV/ Aids and cancer (Kelly, 377). However, there are feared a number of consequences, especially manifesting in future generations, should the application of gene therapy go south (since very little is known about it). Gene therapy should therefore be a concern to every human being in any part of the world as we have a duty to the consequent generations. Genes house one’s DNA which is responsible for a number of human functions and characteristics. In this light, therefore, if a gene is mutated or is simply not functioning properly, diseases can result.