THE ASPECT

OF GENE
THERAPY
Group 2
 Gene therapy has been around for about 50 years and is
currently the accepted standard of treatment for some
procedures, including bone marrow transplants.
 This cutting-edge science has advanced significantly
over the last ten years and has shown promise in the
treatment of a wide range of common and uncommon
illnesses, including diabetes, Parkinson's disease, stroke,
autism, and spinal cord injuries.
In 2013, La Union Rep. Eufranio Eriguel has introduced
House Bill No. 212, which would put up a “bioethics
advisory board” that would establish “ethical
standards”governing the practice of stem cell therapy.
Its purpose is to make the country ahavenfor open
technological innovation for stem cell, and will promote
investment andgenerate jobs.

Further on, the Philippines may become known as hub for

medical tourism, with the surging increase of foreigners to
come in for stemcell therapythat some hospital in the country
may offer at a much cheaper cost but with highest quality.
An experimental method called "gene therapy" uses genes to treat or prevent
illness.

By adopting this procedure, doctors may be able to treat a patient's illness

without the need for medication or surgery by introducing a gene into their
cells.
Scientists are putting numerous
strategies for gene therapy, such as:

Substituting a healthy copy of a gene for a defective gene that causes illness.

Turning off a mutant gene that isn't working correctly, or "knocking it out.“
Introducing a novel gene into the body with the aim of combating an illness.
In most cases, a gene that is directly introduced into a cell is
not functional. Rather, the gene is delivered using a
genetically modified vector.
Because they can transfer the new gene by infecting the cell,
certain viruses are frequently utilized as vectors.
The viruses have been altered so that using them on humans
would not result in illness.
Various kinds of
Certain viruses—like retroviruses—integrate their genetic
material, including the newgene, into a human cell's
chromosome.
Adenoviruses and other viruses insert their DNA into the
cell's nucleus, but the DNA does not become incorporated
into a chromosome.
Gene therapy is a potentially useful treatment for many diseases,
but it is still a dangerous procedure that is being studied to
ensure its safety and efficacy. Only illnesses for which there are
no known treatments are being investigated for gene therapy.
Types Of Gene Therapy

There are two different types of gene therapy depending on which

types of cellsaretreated :
 Somatic gene therapy  Transferring a portion
involves transferring a
of DNA to cells that
specific DNA segment
make eggs or sperm is
to any bodily cell that
known as germline
is incapable of
gene therapy. Gene
producing sperm or
therapy will have an
eggs. The patient's
impact on the patient's
offspring won't be
offspring as well as
affected by the gene
future generations.
therapy.
STEM CELL
 The body's unique stem cells are capable of
differentiating into many types of cells. They are
able to replenish lost cells because to this capacity.
owing to
With this skill, people with specific diseases or
flaws have had faulty cells replaced or controlled.
Adult stem cells can be obtained autologously
from three sources:
 1. Bone marrow, harvested by
aspiration, is used to treat patient
undergoingchemotherapy.

 2. Blood, collected through

leukapheresis - a process where
blood is drawn fromthepatient,
passed through a machine that selects
only the stem cells and returnsall
other components of the blood back
to the patient. Bone marrowtransplant
andblood stem transplantation is used
to treat leukemia and lymphoma

 3. Adipose tissue, have a capacity of

self-renewal is harvested by
liposuction. It isusedfor clinical trials
for the treatment of diabetes mellitus,
liver disease, corneal lesions,
articular and cutaneous lesions,
among others
Physician-attorney Samuel Bernal, a specialist in regulatory law and regenerative medicine,
asserts that stem cell therapy is not a panacea for medical conditions.
Its objective is neither lifespan or anti-aging. The goal of stem cell therapy is to let the body
recover itself. Because each patient is different, the process requires a horde of fundamental
scientists with backgrounds in molecular biology, biochemistry, and biochemical engineering.
Drug studies using a model that is inclined is not applicable to stem cell therapy. Getting
information from others could point you in the right direction, but it won't provide you with
all the details on each patient.
The Bioethics of Gene Therapy The ethical questions
surrounding gene therapy includes (Genetics Home
reference2017):
 How can one discern between "bad" and "good" uses of gene therapy?

 Who determines what characteristics are normal and what qualifies as a disease or handicap?

 Will only the wealthy have access to gene therapy due to its high cost?

 Might society become less accepting of those who are different as a result of the widespread use of
gene therapy?

 Is it acceptable for people to employ gene therapy to improve inherited characteristics like height, IQ,
or athleticism?

 Is it acceptable for individuals to change an unborn child's DNA?

Who has the right or ability to determine which characteristics of humans should be changed for the
following generation?
 To effectively use natural resources and technology, it is essential to comprehend the concepts of bioethics and ethical
science in line with their socio-ecological responsibility, with a focus on the health and welfare of humans. Among the
essential
Respect for life in all its forms and ensuring its maintenance are fundamental tenets of bioethics.

 Despite the many successes of stem cells, the legislation pertaining to the use of gene therapy is rarely discussed in
scientific circles due to strong opposition to contentious debate, particularly regarding the actions of the professionals
involved—doctor, researcher, patient, and other individuals involved in medical and public health issues. the use of these
clinical trials.
 These viewpoints are, nevertheless, obscured by questionable practices, and the outcomes of the current research
programs are uncertain. Everyone has the right to life, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but there
is a debate about how much of this right we are willing to jeopardize for the sake of still
incomplete scientific investigation.

 As in other research domains, the validation of novel therapeutic approaches is intricately linked to the advancement of
clinical trials; hence, prior authorization from regional, national, and global ethical committees is mandatory. Adenoviral
and retroviral vectors, in particular, have caused major and sometimes fatal adverse effects.

 Consequently, it appears that security is the primary barrier to the use of this kind of
clinical intervention in public health settings, such as hospitals. In close proximity to the novel technology advancements
utilized in contemporary healthcare, numerous ethical and moral issues were brought up with