Gene therapy is just an expensive myth, claim scientists
By Robert Matthews, Science Correspondent
The “biotech revolution”, which has been acclaimed by scientists as the path to miracle cures, has not delivered genuine improvements..
The much-vaunted technique of gene therapy has also yet to cure a single person of any major genetic disorder. To date, only a handful of children with an extremely rare immune disorder, known as X-SCID, have been successfully treated. The trials have since been halted following the discovery that two of the children had developed leukaemia as a direct result of the therapy.
Prof Steve Jones, a leading geneticist at University College, London, said that excessive claims had been made about biotechnology.
“It’s clear that the technical advances have been grossly distorted from the start. I would say give it 10 years before deciding, but I would have said that 10 years ago,” he said.
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