CGS : Medical Gene Transfer

About Medical Gene Transfer

Sometimes called "gene therapy," medical gene transfer involves adding or modifying genes in a person's cells (other than those found in his or her sperm or eggs). The "new" genes are intended to function in ways that would alleviate a medical condition. They would not be passed on to any future generations.


		Arguments Pro & Con

Gene transfer may eventually become an effective treatment for some important medical conditions. Clinical trials have been underway since 1990, but so far have been mostly unsuccessful, involved several conflict-of-interest scandals, and produced adverse results including deaths.

Gene transfer has also been proposed for "enhancement" purposes. This application could raise troubling social and ethical questions.

Exaggerations and Misrepresentations Have No Place in Science Policy Debatesby Jeremy Gruber, Council for Responsible GeneticsFebruary 15th, 2013A recent debate on whether we should prohibit genetically engineered babies wound up focusing on mitochondrial replacement techniques.

Interview with George Church: Can Neanderthals Be Brought Back from the Dead?by Philip Bethge and Johann Grolle, Der SpiegelJanuary 18th, 2013The English translation of the interview in which George Church of Harvard University explains how genetic technology and synthetic biology might permit the creation of a Neanderthal-like clone that could be gestated by a woman.

Genetic Breakthrough at OHSU[With CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Allison Frost, Oregon Public RadioOctober 29th, 2012Researchers in Oregon have created a viable human embryo by combining genetic material from two women's eggs, raising safety and ethical questions.

Advocating Human Germline Interventionsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesOctober 28th, 2012Scientists in Oregon have published a paper that explicitly challenges the legal and procedural system that forbids genetic experiments on future generations, but most reports miss the full implications of the announcement.

European Agency Backs Approval of a Gene Therapyby Andrew Pollack, The New York TimesJuly 20th, 2012The therapy, which would treat a rare disease, could be the first regulatory approval of gene therapy in the Western world.

Treatment for Blood Disease Is Gene Therapy Landmarkby Nicholas Wade, New York TimesDecember 10th, 2011Hemophilia B is the first well-known disease to appear treatable by gene therapy, a technique with a 20-year record of almost unbroken failure.

Gene Therapy Can Protect Against HIVAn introduced gene conveys long-lived resistance to HIV infection in mice.by Lauren Gravitz, Nature NewsNovember 30th, 2011An introduced gene conveys long-lived resistance to HIV infection in mice.

Richmond bioscience company makes strides in HIV research[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky]by Hasan Dudar, Richmond ConfidentialOctober 18th, 2011Studies on the use of gene therapy as a way to cure HIV and AIDS are proceeding.

Thought Experiments on a History of Gene Transfer Experimentsby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesOctober 13th, 2011Would Bernie Madoff be the right author for an article on "the history and promise of investment advising?"

Gene therapy and stem cells uniteby James Gallagher, BBC NewsTwo of the holy grails of medicine - stem cell technology and precision gene therapy - have been united for the first time in humans, say scientists.

Stem Cells Update: Clinical Trials, Possible Funds, Long-Range Visions and Short-Term Scamsby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesSeptember 29th, 2011Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are edging back into the spotlight, with some tentatively hopeful news, and some schemes, visions, government money and possible scams.

Living to 100 and Beyondby Sonia Arrison, The Wall Street JournalAugust 27th, 2011Scientists are on the brink of radically expanding the span of a healthy life. Author Sonia Arrison on the latest advances—and what they mean for human existence.

Pro-choice women's health and public interest advocates voice concerns regarding fetal gene tests for sex and trait selectionAugust 22nd, 2011Tests raise concerns about the well-being of children, women and families and the prospect of testing for additional traits other than sex.

Identical Twins Are Genetically Differentby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesApril 5th, 2011Researchers looking for a genetic basis for schizophrenia report that monozygotic twins, always assumed to be genetically identical, in fact have different DNA.

Gene Therapy Against HIV Not a Proven Cure, Experts SayWhile promising, more research is needed to see if technique really worksby Amanda Gardner, HealthDay NewsMarch 1st, 2011Experts are reacting with cautious optimism to the announcement Monday that researchers reconfigured immune cells so that they became resistant to HIV in six patients infected with the virus.

Science in the New York Timesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 11th, 2010The anniversary issue of the Science Times section includes analysis and predictions as well as news.

Gene therapy proposed to treat depressionThe New ScientistOctober 20th, 2010It would be the first attempt to treat a psychiatric illness with gene therapy.

Gene Therapy Takes a Turn for the Betterby Rob Waters, Bloomberg BusinessweekApril 22nd, 2010Recent successes are giving drugmakers and patients hope.

'Pain gene' discovery could lead to less sufferingby Richard Alleyne, The TelegraphMarch 8th, 2010The discovery of a gene linked to pain sensitivity has led to proposals of gene transfer as a treatment for severe chronic pain.

Immortal Cells and Persistent Controversiesby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 24th, 2010The riveting stories in a new best-seller are relevant to the biopolitical controversies we face today.

Gene doping real threat to Olympiansby Margaret Munro, Canwest News ServiceFebruary 5th, 2010The World Anti-Doping Agency warns of grave health risk in attempt to boost performance

In New Way to Edit DNA, Hope for Treating Diseaseby Nicholas Wade, New York TimesDecember 28th, 2009A powerful new technique for making precise alterations in human DNA may greatly benefit medical gene transfer experiments.

Simple gene technique changes sex of a mouseFrom Minnie to Mickey (and all they did was turn off a gene)by Steve Connor, The IndependentDecember 11th, 2009Simple technique changes sex of a mouse – and reveals the gender war that rages in all of us

Is Gene Therapy Finally Ready for Prime Time?by Adi Narayan, TimeNovember 27th, 2009Over the past year, a series of small but intriguing advances has suggested that medical gene transfer may hold real future potential.

Cautious Optimism about Limited Gene Therapyby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesNovember 23rd, 2009Modestly encouraging signs of progress in gene therapy are welcome but should not be exaggerated.

Promises, Promisesby Stuart Blackman, The ScientistNovember 1st, 2009Ill-judged predictions and projections can be embarrassing at best and, at worst, damaging to the authority of science and science policy.

Seeking justice for my sonHe died in a gene-therapy trial. Penn and the FDA should release the records. [Commentary]by Paul Gelsinger, The Philadelphia InquirerSeptember 17th, 2009On the tenth anniversary of his son's death in a gene therapy experiment, Paul Gelsinger says questions about responsibility and current practices have yet to be answered.

The Second Coming of Gene Therapyby Jill Neimark, DiscoverSeptember 2nd, 2009For years, gene therapy produced tons of hype but no results. Recently, new approaches may have yielded its first successes.

Gene therapy edges towards commercial realityReutersMay 25th, 2009Gene therapy may be about to become a commercial reality, 20 years after the first experiments with the medical technology.

Gene Therapy's Tragedy: A Lesson for Stem Cell Research?by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMay 11th, 2009A gene transfer researcher argues caution for stem cell research. His advice should carry particular weight.

Looking back, years after Penn gene-therapy deathby Marie McCullough, Philadelphia InquirerMay 8th, 2009Gene transfer researcher James Wilson says problems with the experiment that killed a teenager were "absolutely unacceptable" and ultimately "my responsibility."

Targeted Genetics, Mainstay of Gene Therapy, Faces Likely Shutdownby Luke Timmerman, XconomyMay 7th, 2009The medical gene transfer company appears to be near the end of the road. It conducted the clinical trial that resulted in the death of Jolee Mohr.

Retracted paper rattles Korean scienceby David Cyranoski, NatureApril 1st, 2009Nature is retracting a paper that promised an advance in diabetes treatment using gene therapy, amid confusion surrounding the paper, including allegations about fraudulent data.

Gene therapy may treat obesityTimes of IndiaMarch 10th, 2009Researchers are examining injecting a gene directly into one of the critical feeding and weight control centres of the brain.

Gene therapy offers hope of cure for HIV by Jeremy Laurance, The IndependentFebruary 12th, 2009Doctors rid man of the virus with bone marrow transplant breakthrough

Gene Doping Conference Makes Headlinesby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesDecember 24th, 2008A few advocates of gene doping by athletes regularly make the news, as they did at a conference last week.

Elderly dogs to be offered genetic enhancement to make them young againby Simon Hart and Laura Donnelly, The Telegraph (UK)November 16th, 2008Frail elderly dogs could be injected with genes which allow them to run around like puppies, with technology which could be approved by next year.

Three more blind patients helped by gene therapyby Maggie Fox, ReutersSeptember 23rd, 2008Three more patients treated with an experimental gene transfer approach have reported better vision.

How to Be Popular during the Olympics: Be H. Lee Sweeney, Gene Doping ExpertPhysiologist Lee Sweeney has been asked to dope an entire junior college football team, but his day job is studying age-related muscle declineby Melinda Wenner, Scientific AmericanAugust 15th, 2008H. Lee Sweeney's work attracts athletes not just because he helps muscles function better—it's also because he focuses on gene therapy, an approach that inserts new or modified genes into subjects' cells.

How "Gene Doping" Could Create Enhanced Olympiansby Rick Lovett, National Geographic NewsAugust 14th, 2008Experts say Oympic athletes may soon be able to genetically enhance their muscles to be faster, stronger, and better able to recover after workouts—if they aren't already.

Finding the Golden Genes by Patrick Barry, ScienceNewsAugust 13th, 2008Advances in gene therapy could tempt some athletes to enhance their genetic makeup, leading some researchers to work on detection methods just in case.

Gene Doping Hits the Headlinesby Pete Shanks, Biopolitical TimesJuly 29th, 2008The media are speculating about gene doping at the Olympics, and Friends of the Earth is urging sports to renounce it.

German TV Documentary Suggests Genetic Doping is Possible in ChinaDeutsche Presse-AgenturJuly 22nd, 2008A hidden camera showed a reporter, claiming to be a swimming coach, inquiring about performance-enhancing stem cell treatment for athletes in a Chinese hospital. A doctor named a price of $24,000 and outlined the procedure.

Gene Therapy to Treat Cancer for First TimePress Trust of IndiaJune 19th, 2008Doctors have treated a cancer patient by injecting him with billions of his own genetically-modified immune cells

Gene Fears by Doping BodyEdinburgh Evening NewsJune 12th, 2008The World Anti-Doping Agency has called for increased awareness of the dangers of gene doping, which is thought to be the next big performance-enhancing threat in world sport.

Protecting research subjects from a broken system by Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesApril 8th, 2008Until conflicts of interest are eliminated, research subjects will never be safe.

Eight Years after Jesse’s Death, Are Human Research Subjects Any Safer?by Paul Gelsinger and Adil E. Shamoo, Hastings Center ReportApril 4th, 2008Many things stand in the way of better protection, but perhaps the greatest obstacle is the lack of adequate federal oversight.

The Future: Think performance enhancers are a problem now?Welcome to the era of the genetically engineered superathleteby David Epstein, Sports IllustratedMarch 11th, 2008If athletes develop ways to alter their genes, the very blueprints for their own muscles, there may be no test of blood or urine that can pick that up.

Nature Biotech reports CGS skepticism about IRBs-for-hireby Marcy Darnovsky, Biopolitical TimesFebruary 5th, 2008An article published in Nature Biotech last September quotes CGS's Osagie Obasogie's concerns about private IRBs.

The New Republic Asks Whether Baseball is Already Losing the Next Doping Battle by Osagie Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJanuary 29th, 2008The New Republic blog have shifted the focus of baseball's scrutiny from past to future by asking whether the sport is already losing the next big doping battle.

Boy gets leukaemia after gene treatment to cure ‘bubble baby syndrome’The Times (UK)December 19th, 2007One of the first children in Britain to receive gene therapy for an immune system disorder has developed leukaemia as a result of his treatment.

Death in gene therapy trial raises questions about private IRBsby Heidi Ledford, Nature BiotechnologySeptember 30th, 2007Researchers are increasingly turning to private, for-profit IRBs that promise quick turnaround times, especially for company-sponsored trials.

More Public Accountability Needed in Gene Therapy Death, Says Public Interest Group Center for Genetics and Society Calls for Moratorium on Enrolling Some PatientsSeptember 17th, 2007The Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee met today to discuss a recent death in an experiment, but offered no answers to important ethical questions raised by the tragedy.

Picking Nits or Learning Lessons?Defensiveness on Display in Gene Therapy Death by Marcy Darnovsky and Osagie K. Obasogie, Bioethics Forum September 17th, 2007The full story of a recent death in a gene therapy clinical trial is still unfolding. But there's a fair amount we do know, and much of it is troubling. Some gene therapy insiders have tried to diminish its significance by characterizing it as an unfortunate aspect of medical progress.

Targeted Genetics consent documentResearch subject information and consent form Jolee Mohr, a 36-year-old Illinois resident, was given this 15-page document before participating in a gene therapy experiment. She died on July 24, 2007, shortly after her second injection with the gene transfer product.

Gene Therapy Death Raises Ethical Issuesby Marcy Darnovsky, San Francisco ChronicleSeptember 13th, 2007The recent death of a research subject in a gene therapy clinical trial raises critical, and troubling, questions.

The Empire Strikes Backby Osagie Obasogie , Biopolitical TimesAugust 28th, 2007One would hope and expect that Jolee Mohr’s recent death during a gene therapy clinical trial would give pause to the field’s researchers as well as the multi-billion dollar clinical trial industry. But the response has been surprisingly defiant.

Fungus Infected Woman Who Died After Gene Therapyby Rick Weiss, Washington PostAugust 20th, 2007The 36-year-old Illinois woman who died last month after being treated with an experimental gene therapy was infected with a fungus that usually causes only a mild illness.

Biotechnology Appeals to Our Lizard Brainsby Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesAugust 17th, 2007Will technologies with enormous power to reshape both society and individuals be initially introduced for frivolous purposes? Will pet cloning and gene therapy for sexual confidence make human reproductive cloning and genetic modification technically feasible and more palatable?

Gene Therapy Risky Business for Patientsby Osagie K. Obasogie, Seattle Post-Intelligencer August 16th, 2007Jolee Mohr, a vibrant 36-year-old mother, recently died while participating in a gene therapy clinical trial for arthritis run by the Seattle-based biotech firm. Why is an unproven procedure linked to multiple deaths being tested on people with non-fatal illnesses?

Medical Professor Defends Gene-Therapy Trial in Which a Patient Diedby By Lila Guterman, Chronicle of Higher EducationAugust 13th, 2007After a patient died last month in a clinical trial of gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, accusations appeared in the news media that she had not been adequately protected from the risks of experimentation on human beings. But last week, a professor at Northwestern University who was involved in the study defended the procedures.

Public Interest Group Calls for Public Disclosures in Gene Therapy DeathAugust 8th, 2007Troubling new revelations have emerged this week in the death of an Illinois woman in a gene therapy trial for arthritis, prompting the Center for Genetics and Society to call on the federal government to consider firmer regulatory action.

Death Points to Risks in Research: One Woman's Experience in Gene Therapy Trial Highlights Weaknesses in the Patient Safety Net[Quotes CGS's Marcy Darnovsky] by Rick Weiss, Washington PostAugust 6th, 2007Jolee Mohr died from massive bleeding and organ failure July 24, leaving behind a 5-year-old daughter and a host of questions about why she was recruited into a gene therapy experiment whose chief goal was to test the safety of a novel arthritis treatment that had virtually no chance of helping her.

Public Interest Group Calls for Increased Transparency and Accountability in Gene Therapy ExperimentsAugust 2nd, 2007The Center for Genetics and Society called for increased scrutiny, transparency, and accountability following the death of a participant in a clinical trial of gene transfer for arthritis.

Another Gene Therapy Deathby Osagie K. Obasogie, Biopolitical TimesJuly 30th, 2007In a development eerily similar to the tragic death of Jesse Gelsinger, the FDA released a statement late last week reporting yet another gene therapy death.

Death clouds a gene-therapy's futureby Ángel González, Seattle TimesJuly 28th, 2007The death of a patient in a clinical trial run by Seattle-based Targeted Genetics is raising questions about a promising gene-therapy method until now thought to be safe.

Outlaw DNA [Gene Doping in Sports]by Gretchen Reynolds, New York TimesJune 4th, 2007After steroids and other black-market fixes, what’s next for cheaters? Playing God with genetics.

Gene therapy aimed at restoring sight for 30,000 peopleby Ian Sample, GuardianMay 3rd, 2007British scientists are to launch the world's first clinical trials of a controversial gene therapy to cure childhood blindness.

"Should the possibility of inadvertent gene transfer to the germline be considered a benefit or risk?"by Jesse Reynolds, Biopolitical TimesMarch 21st, 2007Researchers in the UK are working towards gene "therapy" on human fetuses.

The Gatekeeperby Kara Platoni, East Bay ExpressFebruary 28th, 2007What if scientists devised a strategy to tackle some of the world's most notorious diseases, but just one company held all the patents?

MATRIX RELOADED: Doctors Try New Techniques To Regrow Human Tissueby Ron Winslow, Wall Street JournalFebruary 12th, 2007Medical researchers have been making intriguing progress in the field of regenerative medicine.

Of baseball and enhancement bondageby Pete Shanks, San Francisco ChronicleSeptember 26th, 2005Pete Shanks says that the debate over drugs in sports is a precursor to more profound questions of science and human 'enhancement.'

Scientists guilty of 'hyping' benefits of gene researchThe Independent (UK)September 5th, 2005"The leading fertility scientist Lord Winston has hit out at senior scientists, including two Nobel laureates, for making exaggerated claims about the supposed benefits of scientific research, warning they could trigger a public backlash."

The (mis)use of genetic technologies in the realm of sports: “Gene Doping” [PDF]by Rosario IsasiAugust 30th, 2005Presentation at the American Chemical Society annual meeting, Washington, DC

Further steps towards artificial eggs and spermNew ScientistJune 20th, 2005"Human embryonic stem cells have been coaxed in the lab to develop into the early forms of cells which eventually become eggs or sperm"

Of mighty mice & super menby Michael Dobie, New York NewsdayMarch 20th, 2005An extensive, well-researched article on the emerging likelihood of "genetic doping" in sports

Panel Recommends Gene Therapy Limitsby Pauline Jelinek, Associated PressMarch 5th, 2005"Following a setback in gene therapy experiments in France, U.S. health advisers are recommending the treatment be given only to children who have no other alternatives."

Gene Therapy Is Facing a Crucial Hearingby Gardiner Harris, New York TimesMarch 3rd, 2005A federal panel will discuss why "Gene therapy's disappointing history [which] is mirrored in other medical technologies once highly promoted, like high-throughput chemical screening and the decoding of the human genome."

Medical Gene Transfer Arguments Pro and ConShort summary of the main arguments for and against medical gene transfer

Why Gene Therapy Still Hasn't Produced Forecast Breakthroughsby Sharon Begley, Wall Street JournalFebruary 21st, 2005Sharon Begley: "The unhappy history of gene therapy offers a cautionary tale for stem-cell research. It, too, is already curing lab animals. It, too, looks as though it can't miss. That's what they said about gene therapy."

Homo Respect-us: The creature genetic engineers fear most[Quotes CGS's Richard Hayes]by William Saletan, SlateDecember 17th, 2004Slate's William Saletan reports on a meeting to discuss the potential for human inheritable genetic modificiation, at which some scientists and ethicists "flirted" with moving forward, and mocked concerns.

Research cloning, PGD, and nuclear transfer in the United KingdomGenetic CrossroadsDecember 2nd, 2004Cloning pioneer Ian Wilmut heads the second lab to apply to the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for a license to conduct research cloning. The first such license was given to a team at Newcastle University lead by Alison Murdoch.

Gene therapy is just an expensive myth, claim scientistsby Robert Matthews, The Daily TelegraphOctober 31st, 2004A study of the impact of biotechnology on medical treatments to be published in the journal Trends in Biotechnology this week concludes that the claims surrounding gene therapy have been wildly exaggerated and that it is an expensive myth.

Gene Doping: Will athletes go for the ultimate high?by Christen Brownlee, Science NewsOctober 30th, 2004Science News explores the policies, ethics, and science of gene doping for athletics.

Building Better Bodiesby Nicholas D. Kristof, The New York TimesAugust 25th, 2004

Will gene-altered athletes kill sport?by Gregory M. Lamb, Christian Science MonitorAugust 23rd, 2004Soon, animal DNA could make us faster and stronger - no training needed.

Genetically modified athelete - does it run true?by Pratap Ravindran, The Hindu Business LineAugust 10th, 2004Genetically modified athletes might be a boon to India's ambitions in biotechnology.

Scientists fear new drugs and genetic dopingby Jennifer Tang, EurekAlert!July 21st, 2004

The Triumph of Hope Over Scienceby Mark Derr, New York TimesFebruary 24th, 2004

Gene Therapy Used to Treat Patients With Parkinson'sby Denise Grady and Gina Kolata, New York TimesAugust 19th, 2003

What next for human gene therapy?by Eric T. Juengst, British Medical JournalJune 28th, 2003

Gene Therapy Trials Haltedby Andrew Pollack, The New York TimesJanuary 15th, 2003

In Utero Somatic Gene Transfer ProposalsMarch 15th, 2002In 1990 W. French Anderson became the first person to attempt authorized somatic gene transfer experiments on humans. In 1998 he proposed to begin in utero somatic gene transfer experiments and in the process, in his words, "push the envelope" on inheritable genetic modification.

Lawsuit in Gene Therapy Death Settled Suspended Experiment Allowed to ResumeGenetic CrossroadsDecember 7th, 2000

New Push for In Utero Gene TransferGenetic CrossroadsDecember 7th, 2000

Gelsinger wrongful death lawsuit names bioethicist CaplanGenetic CrossroadsOctober 16th, 2000

News Stories about Tinkering with DNA Miss the Big PictureGlowing Rabbit Shows We're Creeping Toward Redesigning Human Lifeby Tom Abate , San Francisco ChronicleSeptember 25th, 2000

Behind the Jesse Gelsinger StoryGenetic CrossroadsAugust 4th, 2000

NEWS AND POINTERS REGARDING TECHNO-EUGENICSGenetic CrossroadsMay 10th, 2000

Somatic Gene Transfer Somatic gene transfer involves adding genes to cells other than egg or sperm cells. If you had a lung disease caused by a defective gene, scientists might be able to add a healthy gene to your lung cells and alleviate the disease. The new gene would not be passed to any children you may subsequently have.

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