Is this a dangerous path? A huge breakthrough could change the lives of people with certain blood disorders. But some worry about the medical and moral side effects.
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UK gene therapy at £1.6m per patient
Is this a dangerous path? A huge breakthrough could change the lives of people with certain blood disorders. But some worry about the medical and moral side effects.
X
PreviousNext
When she was just three months old, doctors told Kirthana Balachandran's family that she had beta thalassaemia, a blood diseaseAn illness or sickness. that leaves people tired and weakNot strong. . Every three to five weeks she has to injectTo use a needle and small tube to put a liquid such as a drug into a person's body. blood.
But now there might be a cure. Britain's health service has approved a new treatment.
The new treatment is a type of geneA gene is the basic unit of heredity.-editing treatment. Gene therapy removes the genetic problem that causes illnesses.
The treatment will use a technique called CRISPRCRISPR-Cas9 allows scientists to remove, add or alter sections of DNA with ease and simplicity. . A pair of very tiny scissors will be used to change the genes that do not work.
Doctors have already seen success, Abdul-Qadeer Akhtar took part in tests to make sure that the treatment works and is safe. Now, he is much healthier than before and is able to do things that he could not do before.
But others are worried. Gene therapy is very expensiveCosts a lot of money. . One treatment can cost around £1.6m. In some countries, it would mean that only very rich people would be able to pay for it.
Others fear that scientists could use gene therapy to do more than just remove disease in the future. Some say that scientists could edit babies' genes to make them stronger and smarter than others. They even talk about super-strong soldiers who could run on four hours of sleep and feel very little pain.
Is this a dangerous path?
Yes! Gene editing can do some good. But there are also risks. Scientists could use gene therapy to make humans that are far stronger than people today.
No! Scientists have always been able to do evilVery bad or morally wrong. things with their inventions. But with strong laws, we can use these inventions for good without any risk of harm.
FOR YOUR SUMMER READING CHALLENGE CLUE GO TO STEP SIX IN THE SIX STEPS TO DISCOVERY BELOW.
Disease - An illness or sickness.
Weak - Not strong.
Inject - To use a needle and small tube to put a liquid such as a drug into a person's body.
Gene - A gene is the basic unit of heredity.
CRISPR - CRISPR-Cas9 allows scientists to remove, add or alter sections of DNA with ease and simplicity.
Expensive - Costs a lot of money.
Evil - Very bad or morally wrong.
UK gene therapy at £1.6m per patient
Historic: NHS patients will be among the first in the world to be treated with gene-editing therapy. This new technique involves using tiny scissors (above) to remove sections of DNA. Glossary
Disease - An illness or sickness.
Weak - Not strong.
Inject - To use a needle and small tube to put a liquid such as a drug into a person's body.
Gene - A gene is the basic unit of heredity.
CRISPR - CRISPR-Cas9 allows scientists to remove, add or alter sections of DNA with ease and simplicity.
Expensive - Costs a lot of money.
Evil - Very bad or morally wrong.