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Moral and Ethical Issues

Ethics of medicine and science include knowing what is acceptable and what is not in ways of research, treatment and cure. These limitations appear due to basic moral principles and beliefs, which is a major portion of human conduct. So now what are the ethical issues for gene therapy? A moral conflict of gene therapy is the sharing of genetic testing results and a lot of genetic analysis. We can all accept the fact that gene therapy carries the potential to revolutionize diagnostics, genetic testing and analysis. Gene therapy makes use of advanced forms of testing to help develop knowledge of what form of therapy is a better choice for a patient. Gene therapy also includes extensive analysis of a patient's genome to determine possible impacts of a treatment or cure on a patient’s body, which also addresses a genetic disorder. However, what if during a genetic testing of a patient, faulty genes for other diseases and disorders are found? Should those that are providing the treatment be able to share these results with the patient, given that the condition of the patient is already quite sensitive? Also, do the providers of gene therapy reserve a right to be able to choose that they do not want to share the data, which they would not like to, due to a number of thoughts? With this in mind, what if the patient does want to know this data? Some may argue that if patients, already possessing a disease, find out about another disease they may display anxiety, depression, paranoia, etc. and this would add on to more medical problems. An online study shows that among 2000 people who bought genetic tests, about 90% experienced no distress from the results. (Citation 46), (Citation 47)

 

 

Besides the argument of genetic analysis, many arguments arise from religious and philosophical views. Many people argue that gene therapy involves modifying genes, which have been given from birth; in other words, the genome should be left unchanged just as God created it. Modifying a gene in any form violates the personal moral/religious codes of plenty of people, who believe that researchers experimenting and treating a gene are "playing the role of God." (Citation 47), (Citation 48), (Citation 55)

 

Many people don’t know what a gene is or what a disorder is and others also question who has the power to define what a disorder is because to one being a disorder is different than to another. A great example of this would be with autism. A certain percentage of people believe that autism is a true disorder that should be treated. Others argue that autism is not a disorder, but rather, it is a part of humanity in a special way, and that those who have autism are not really suffering at all. As many are still gaining clarity on what genes are and of that sort, the biggest question asked is that is gene therapy safe? (Citation 49)

Over the past few years as gene therapy developed, scientists have made huge improvements with working on human genes, but even with these developments, the fact that gene therapy deals directly with the editing of the genome and chromosomes brings doubt in people. Some question that what if scientists “switch” on a gene that causes a mutation in a human rather than turning off the faulty gene that caused the disorder? Others also think that what if the virus used to deliver the correct gene causes immune responses and severe unwanted side effects? Gene therapy will always be developing and revolutionizing the ways we see medicine, but some ask that is a revolution that is for the good or for the bad? Would alternating genes make us more artificial and would we lose our genetic diversity? In the end will we just end us as patented products? Overall the most common ethical issues/questions in society are:

  • Is gene therapy safe for those that are involved in the process of giving or receiving the treatment/cure?

  • Who has the right to define what is a genetic disorder or disease?Are humans 'playing God’s role' by modifying natural genes?

  • Who is able to determine how and to what extent results of genetic diagnostics are conveyed?

  • Who determines the true rules and regulations that govern over gene therapy?

(Citation 48), (Citation 50), (Citation 51), (Citation 52), (Citation 53), (Citation 54)

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