Approaches to Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering is used to treat genetic abnormalities.
Negative therapy is the removal of defects caused by a single defective gene.
(such as the gene that causes cystic fibrosis)
Positive gene therapy is the improvement of the embryo’s genes according to
sex, skin or colour.
The specific distinctions are laid out in the table below.

Type	Description	Examples
Somatic cell gene therapy	Genes of a particular organism are modified, but the modification is not passed on to the next generation.	Diabetes sufferers can be given some gene treatment to control the production of insulin and cure the disease.
Type	Description	Examples
Germ line therapy	Germ-line cells are reproductive cells. These can be altered to combat and eradicate diseases. The alterations are transferred to the next generation and will consequently affect the human gene pool.	There is no consensus about which diseases ought to be eradicated. Some might argue for Down’s Syndrome, others for homosexuality. Haemophilia is a hereditary disease that could be eliminated altering the genes that carry the disease. There are big technical and ethical problems with this therapy
Type	Description	Examples
Enhancement   (therapy beyond what is natural)	This involves “enhancing” or “improving” an individual by manipulating his or her genes. But what counts as an improvement? The issue of designer babies is still mainly theoretical.	Parents want their children to have great athletic ability. They approach a genetic clinic and have some of the genes of their foetus manipulated to satisfy this wish.
Type	Description	Examples
Eugenic-genetic engineering	This is the improvement of a whole nation or race through genetic engineering.	Several countries adopted limited eugenic programmes during the 20th century, such as the compulsory sterilisation of those considered “mentally unfit.” Eugenics was practised in Nazi Germany. Jews, gypsies, and homosexuals

Somatic Cell Therapy
Alteration to specific cells. The aim is to attach a self-destruct gene to cancer cells and thus destroy them Medically this is not yet possible as the healthy cells are genetically too similar to the cancerous ones, but morally there appears to be no problem.

Germ Line Therapy
This would deal with reproductive cells with the aim of preventing defects in this and future generations. Because the genetic alterations would be transferred to the succeeding generations there is a greater and unknown risk of problems. Who decides what “defects” should be eradicated in this way? Down’s Syndrome? Dwarfism? Homosexuality (assuming it is genetic)? In Australia 60% said they would regard homosexuality as a “defect” to be eradicated in this way. There are medical and social misgivings about this.

Enhancement
One approach to distinguishing between therapy and enhancement is to classify any improvement beyond that which is “natural” as an enhancement. “Enhancement” would then include preventive measures such as vaccines, which strengthen one’s immune system to a point beyond that which would be achieved “naturally.” The term could also be used in the concept known colloquially as “designer babies.” It refers to a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with in vitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics. In reality the concept is somewhat fanciful. The process could be objected to on a number of grounds.

1. Medically there are hazards and uncertainties.
2. Socially – it would be open only to the very rich.
3. Socially – it would ensure that certain people could be given advantages (brain…athletic ability)
4. It may lead to difficulties/abnormalities in future generations. It could throw up unknown medical conditions. The repercussions of using seemingly harmless technologies that have not been adequately tested could be detrimental to the entire population.

Eugenics
Aims to improve the gene pool by sterilising “defective” parents. Not regarded as an acceptable option in most places, though in Sweden between 1970 and 1986 70,000 women were sterilised.