Resumen

GARCIA MINIET, Rocío Salomé  y  GONZALEZ FRAGUELA, María Elena. Genetic therapy: Perspectives and ethical considerations of its application. Rev haban cienc méd [online]. 2008, vol.7, n.1. ISSN 1729-519X.

Genetic therapy is a methodology that approaches the incorporation of genetic material in an individual to treat a disease by direct way (in vivo) or in an indirect way through the use of cells as a vehicle of liberation (ex vivo). This procedure's application carries on the onset of risks; therefore it has awakened a great ethical dilemma. So far, in humans, only somatic practice therapy has been done and even when great advances have been achieved in research and assays, there are still limiting problems for its use. That is the case of viral vectors that can cause inflammation and toxicity in the host. The possibility of genetic therapy application, depend on numerous factors such as: type and pattern of inheritance, mutation type, gene size, genetic control and the tissue where the disease is patent. In spite of the still present difficulties, there is a consensus in favour of this procedure's application as long as the benefits are greater than risks. Germinal therapy has been rejected by many scientists because its advances do not compensate the associated dangers, besides; there are better therapeutic alternatives without the risks. So far, several clinical protocols of genetic therapy have been done and they show promising results, which allow the continuation of its application in an immediate future.

Palabras clave : Somatic Genetic Therapy; Germinal Genetic Therapy; ethics; Viral Vectors; Genetic transference.

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