What are the ethical issues surrounding gene and cell therapy?

Because gene therapy involves making changes to the body's basic set of instructions, it raises many unique ethical concerns. Ethical issues surrounding gene therapy include:

• How can one distinguish "good" and "bad" uses of gene therapy?
  

• Who decides which traits are normal and which constitute a disability or disorder?
  

• Will the high costs of gene therapy make it available only to the rich?
  

• Could widespread use of gene therapy make society less accepting of people who are different?
  

• Should people be allowed to use gene therapy to improve basic human traits such as height, intelligence or athletic ability?
  

Current research on gene therapy has focused on treating individuals by targeting therapy to cells in the body such as bone marrow or blood cells. This type of gene therapy cannot be transmitted to a person's children. However, gene therapy could be directed to the eggs and sperm (germ cells), allowing the inserted gene to be passed on to future generations. This approach is known as germline gene therapy.

The idea of germline gene therapy is controversial. While it could prevent future generations in a family from having a particular genetic disorder, it could affect the development of the foetus in unexpected ways or have long-term side effects that are not yet known. Because people who would be affected by germline gene therapy are not yet born, they cannot choose whether to receive the treatment. Because of these ethical concerns, the US government does not allow federal funds to be used for germline gene therapy research in people