Persuasive Essay On Gene Therapy

All humans have some genetic strains that end up causing problems or illnesses later on in life. Although we have not perfected this, there is a way to alter your genes to try and correct this faulty DNA; gene therapy. Problems that we face in today's society regarding health that could be remedied include: diabetes, AIDS, Alzheimer's, cancer, and even HIV. Thousands of people die from these illnesses, and gene therapy is a way to limit the casualties. Though, many people still find this practice unethical. The definition is simple, you are essentially removing the bad part of the gene and replacing it with a healthier, new model. We do this to try and correct the genetic parts that are causing the problems within the cells, thus preventing the disease all together.(3) Now, you cannot just go and split the cell in half and poke around, you have to enter the cell using what is called a vector. Most common vectors used in today’s research are viruses. The gene strand that they are trying to get into the cell is attached onto the virus itself, and released into the body, with a specific target. Then that virus enters the cell, en vivo, and delivers the genetic information. A wall that we have faced so far is that “Using a virus in gene therapy, the patient's immune system has to be

Despite the many potential benefits we could attain, many people believe that it is morally wrong. They believe that, in a way, unlike any other medical practice, it could be considered “playing God”.(1) We also run into the thought; what if we were to use this to form a perfect human, by editing a person's weight, height, athletic ability, or intelligence? “Could the widespread use of gene therapy make society less accepting of people who are different?” (5) All of these concerns and questions do get you thinking though, when will we be able to tell when it has gone too