What is good about somatic gene therapy?
Without somatic gene therapy, society is bound to be drastically affected by genetic disorders. The world needs gene therapy so that people can manipulate their genetic coding in specific cells, in which they could obtain the desirable traits they want. Without this, people would have to live with themselves, insecure of how they appear. Or even in the worst possible case, there would be no cure for deadly diseases such as cancer. Somatic gene therapy has shaped today’s world into a more liveable place.
But why may it be a bad thing?
However, there are some factors which oppose the idea of somatic gene therapy. Only those who are able to afford such treatment can undergo somatic gene therapy. Those who cannot afford for this treatment have to live, unsatisfied with themselves. This goes against the concept of equality. However it cannot be helped as somatic gene therapy is indeed an expensive treatment. If it were to be cheap, this treatment would destabilise society; curing baldness, obesity and poor eyesight. This would eventually increase the population in a way that would replicate Hitler’s idea of a master race.
Gene therapy can irrelevantly be regarded as discrimination against people with disabilities. Some people inherit genetic factors hence being physically, mentally and/or emotionally impaired. These disabilities may result in flaws in our society. Affected individuals have fewer opportunities and because of that, they are looked down upon. By undergoing somatic gene therapy, it is true that it could contribute to the removal of some of the sources of discrimination against them. However, what is being implied here is that individuals choose to go through somatic gene therapy because they are insecure of themselves of how they appear in society. This, as a result can be assumed a form of discrimination against the impaired.
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