“Unnatural medicine” – Ethical and legal considerations of gene therapy and embryonic stem cells in the United States and Europe Cover Image

“Unnatural medicine” – Ethical and legal considerations of gene therapy and embryonic stem cells in the United States and Europe
“Unnatural medicine” – Ethical and legal considerations of gene therapy and embryonic stem cells in the United States and Europe

Author(s): MARKO SUSI
Subject(s): History
Published by: Publishing Inc. European Readings & Prodifmultimedia/Editura Napoca Star
Keywords: Balance of rights; Embryonic stem cells; Eugenics; Gene therapy; Right to life and health

Summary/Abstract: Medicine has developed at an ever increasing pace in the last decades. Things once thought impossible are now a reality. This includes gene therapy and stem cell therapy. Over the years, various tools for genetic alterations have been developed, ranging from viral vectors to special zinc-finger proteins to CRISPR-Cas genome editing. Even though in many jurisdictions, gene therapy is approved and used, germline gene therapy and research regarding embryonal stem cells is normally forbidden. However, the successful application of large part of gene therapy rests on the ability to use embryonal stem cells. The ban on embryo creation for research and their use for experiments are based on the notion that these embryos possess rights. I, however, am on the opinion that as the legislation protecting embryos was meant to protect life to be born and as experimental embryos are not to be born, these embryos should not necessarily be considered as carriers of rights and research should therefore be allowed to be conducted. Gene therapy itself has been said to create the danger of eugenics, medical risks are high. I agree with the need to prevent eugenic practices but believe that this can be done via oversight mechanisms better than through outright ban on several forms of gene therapy that would cause suffering. Gene therapy does have inherent medical risks and great care must be taken in the application of gene therapy.

  • Issue Year: 12/2018
  • Issue No: 12
  • Page Range: 1-16
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: English