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Chapter 7. Gene Therapy > Germ-Line Cell Therapy
Germ-Line Cell Therapy
The main advantages of germ-line cell gene therapy are the following:
It offers the possibility for a true cure of several diseases and it is not only a temporary solution.
It might be the only way to treat some genetic diseases.
The benefits would be extended for several generations, because genetic defects are eliminated in the individual's genome and, consequently, the benefits would be passed to his or her offspring.
Some of the arguments presented against germ-line cell gene therapy are the following:
It involves many steps that are poorly understood, and the long-term results cannot be estimated.
It would open the door for genetic modifications in human traits with profound social and ethical implications.
It is very expensive and it would not benefit the common citizen.
The extension of the cure to a person's offspring would be possible only if the defective gene was directly modified, but probably not if a new gene was added to another part of the genome.
