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Genetic therapy causes ethical
concerns
By Matt Lindner
Staff
Writer
With new genetic therapy research comes an obvious
concern about the ethics of such a process. However, Matthew Sharkey,
a doctoral student, and David Sanders, an assistant professor of biological
sciences and the head researcher in a gene therapy study, both refute
claims that their new gene delivery system is unethical.
"If vaccinations and cross-pollinating plants are
considered to be ethical, so is introducing human DNA to help cure ailments,"
said Sanders. "However, if we were using this technology to make alterations
to egg and sperm cells, rather than in already developed human beings,
then the process would be unethical."
Human genetic therapy research has been an ongoing
process since the late eighteenth century, which saw its landmark accomplishment
in 1796 with the development of the smallpox vaccine. In earlier times,
genetic therapy was seen as a crime against the church, and as a result,
scientists were burned at the stake for it. However, history has shown
that the convictions of the church against medicine were unfounded.
Sharkey believes people's ethical concerns are
largely due to them not knowing enough about the process, rather than
actually having convictions against using genetic therapy as a sort
of medicine. While he acknowledges their concerns as having merit, he
says that before a therapy is successful it must go through a trial
and error process of sorts.
"How do you approach coming up with therapies for
deadly diseases?" Sharkey said. "A lot of people are going to die before
one is cured, but I personally have no qualms about using gene therapy
to cure illnesses."
Genetic engineering has been going on for 6,000
years and started with cross-pollination of plants. While scientists
don’t know for sure if it is safe, the benefits greatly outweigh
the consequences, which is why scientists are continuing in developing
new methods in this field.
The team of Sanders; Richard Kuhn, associate professor
of biological sciences; Sharkey; and Cynthia North, doctoral student,
have several other ideas that will help their patients and disturb less
of their bodies' chemistry.
The next step in gene delivery will be to manipulate
and develop envelope proteins that only infect specific human cells.
This will require the cutting and pasting of certain proteins in order
to introduce other proteins.
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Genetic
therapy causes ethical concerns
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