Biomaterial Database

Human gene therapy: scientific and ethical considerations. 1985

W F Anderson

The term 'gene therapy' encompasses at least four types of application of genetic engineering for the insertion of genes into humans. The scientific requirements and the ethical issues associated with each type are discussed. Somatic cell gene therapy is technically the simplest and ethically the least controversial. The first clinical trials will probably be undertaken within the next year. Germ line gene therapy will require major advances in our present knowledge and it raises ethical issues that are now being debated. In order to provide guidelines for determining when germ line gene therapy would be ethical, the author presents three criteria which should be satisfied prior to the time that a clinical protocol is attempted in humans. Enhancement genetic engineering presents significant, and troubling, ethical concerns. Except where this type of therapy can be justified on the grounds of preventive medicine, enhancement engineering should not be performed. The fourth type, eugenic genetic engineering, is impossible at present and will probably remain so for the foreseeable future, despite the widespread media attention it has received.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004989	Ethics	The philosophy or code pertaining to what is ideal in human character and conduct. Also, the field of study dealing with the principles of morality.	Egoism,Ethical Issues,Metaethics,Moral Policy,Natural Law,Situational Ethics,Ethical Issue,Ethics, Situational,Issue, Ethical,Issues, Ethical,Law, Natural,Laws, Natural,Moral Policies,Natural Laws,Policies, Moral,Policy, Moral
D005053	Eugenics	The attempt to improve the PHENOTYPES of future generations of the human population by fostering the reproduction of those with favorable phenotypes and GENOTYPES and hampering or preventing BREEDING by those with "undesirable" phenotypes and genotypes. The concept is largely discredited. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Negative Eugenics,Positive Eugenics,Eugenics, Negative,Eugenics, Positive
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D005818	Genetic Engineering	Directed modification of the gene complement of a living organism by such techniques as altering the DNA, substituting genetic material by means of a virus, transplanting whole nuclei, transplanting cell hybrids, etc.	Genetic Intervention,Engineering, Genetic,Intervention, Genetic,Genetic Interventions,Interventions, Genetic
D005822	Genetic Vectors	DNA molecules capable of autonomous replication within a host cell and into which other DNA sequences can be inserted and thus amplified. Many are derived from PLASMIDS; BACTERIOPHAGES; or VIRUSES. They are used for transporting foreign genes into recipient cells. Genetic vectors possess a functional replicator site and contain GENETIC MARKERS to facilitate their selective recognition.	Cloning Vectors,Shuttle Vectors,Vectors, Genetic,Cloning Vector,Genetic Vector,Shuttle Vector,Vector, Cloning,Vector, Genetic,Vector, Shuttle,Vectors, Cloning,Vectors, Shuttle
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016026	Bone Marrow Transplantation	The transference of BONE MARROW from one human or animal to another for a variety of purposes including HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION or MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION.	Bone Marrow Cell Transplantation,Grafting, Bone Marrow,Transplantation, Bone Marrow,Transplantation, Bone Marrow Cell,Bone Marrow Grafting
D018570	Risk Assessment	The qualitative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of beneficial influences. (Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 1988)	Assessment, Risk,Benefit-Risk Assessment,Risk Analysis,Risk-Benefit Assessment,Health Risk Assessment,Risks and Benefits,Analysis, Risk,Assessment, Benefit-Risk,Assessment, Health Risk,Assessment, Risk-Benefit,Benefit Risk Assessment,Benefit-Risk Assessments,Benefits and Risks,Health Risk Assessments,Risk Analyses,Risk Assessment, Health,Risk Assessments,Risk Benefit Assessment,Risk-Benefit Assessments
D024861	Genetic Enhancement	The use of genetic methodologies to improve functional capacities of an organism rather than to treat disease.	Enhancement, Genetic,Enhancements, Genetic,Genetic Enhancements
D030342	Genetic Diseases, Inborn	Diseases that are caused by genetic mutations present during embryo or fetal development, although they may be observed later in life. The mutations may be inherited from a parent's genome or they may be acquired in utero.	Hereditary Diseases,Genetic Diseases,Genetic Disorders,Hereditary Disease,Inborn Genetic Diseases,Single-Gene Defects,Defect, Single-Gene,Defects, Single-Gene,Disease, Genetic,Disease, Hereditary,Disease, Inborn Genetic,Diseases, Genetic,Diseases, Hereditary,Diseases, Inborn Genetic,Disorder, Genetic,Disorders, Genetic,Genetic Disease,Genetic Disease, Inborn,Genetic Disorder,Inborn Genetic Disease,Single Gene Defects,Single-Gene Defect