Human Gene Therapy: A Brief Review

Genetic defects are caused by mutations in the genome that lead to defect in proper physiological functioning of the human body. Genetic defects cannot be corrected by medicines or surgery. Therefore, a new innovative research called gene therapy has come up to resolve the issue of gene defect to some extent. Gene therapy is a technique to insert gene of interest in place of mutated/ non-functional gene in to the target cells of human. Several methods have been discovered to achieve the target insertion of the desired gene. The target gene can be inserted using physical, chemical or biological methods and the route of transfer of gene can be in vivo or in vitro depending on the site of gene mutation in human body. The first successful trial of gene therapy has already been done on a patient suffering from ?severe combined immuno-deficiency syndrome?. Since then, numerous trials have been initiated to cure some life-threatening diseases such as cancer and cardio-related diseases along with blood related disorders. Though, gene therapy is considered a modern technique to correct any gene defect, many ethical and moral issues have also been raised against it.