Advantages:

 Hope for the hopeless: Gene therapy provides hope for those who may not have had any in the
past. About 3% of American children are born with a genetic condition which requires gene
therapy as a way to treat the issue.
 Change in disease perspectives: Gene therapy could change the perspectives that people have
about disease. Roughly 10% of all Americans are affected by a rare disease or condition on any
given day.
 Potential for new discoveries: Gene therapy could offer the potential of new discoveries.
 Treatment for untreatable diseases: Gene therapy allows us to treat the “untreatable” diseases.

 Prevention and treatment of inherited disorders: In the future, genetic therapies may be used to
prevent, treat, or cure certain inherited disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, alpha-1 antitrypsin
deficiency, hemophilia, beta thalassemia, and sickle cell disease.

Disadvantages:

 Unreliable delivery method: Gene therapy does not have a reliable delivery method.
 Irregular immune responses: Irregular immune responses.
 Viral vectors may introduce toxicity: Viral vectors may introduce toxicity, as well as immune and
inflammatory responses.
 Potential risks: Potential risks could include certain types of cancer, allergic reactions, or damage
to organs or tissues if an injection is involved.
 High cost: While gene therapies are an effective treatment, they’re usually unaffordable to those
needing them the most.
Sources:
[Advantages and Disadvantages of Gene Therapy]
https://connectusfund.org/14-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-gene-therapy
[Gene Therapy: Understanding the Science, Assessing the Evidence, and Paying for Value]
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/genetic-therapies/benefits-risks
[Gene Therapy: Potential and Pitfalls]
https://www.biotechnologynotes.com/gene-therapy/gene-therapy-meaning-types-advantages-and-
disadvantages/823
[The High Cost of Gene Therapy]
https://www.iiste.org/pros-and-cons-of-gene-therapy/
https://universitycancercenters.com/gene-therapy-risk-and-benefits/
https://www.lorecentral.org/2017/11/advantages-disadvantages-gene-therapy.html
https://futureofworking.com/6-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-gene-therapy/
From videos:
Genetic Engineering/Modification/Therapy

Definition:

 Genetic engineering, also known as genetic modification, is a scientific method that

alters an organism’s DNA.
 This process can involve adding new genetic material to an organism’s genome to obtain
a desired trait or removing parts of the genome to eliminate an unwanted trait.
 Genetic engineering can be applied to any organism, including plants, animals, microbes,
and humans, with the goal of enhancing or modifying the individual’s characteristics.
 It’s a powerful tool with wide-ranging applications in fields such as agriculture, medicine,
and biotechnology.

Advantages:

 Curing diseases - Genetic diseases can be treated by replacing the mutated gene with a healthy
one or by modifying the genotype. Gene therapy introduces a normal gene into a person's DNA to
correct a mutation causing a disease.
 Medicine - Many important medicines, vaccines, and treatments have been created using genetic
engineering, such as human insulin.
 Improved Foods - Genetic engineering can be used to alter the DNA in crops, creating food that
has more nutritional value, lasts longer, and tastes better. For example, ''golden rice'' is modified
to have a higher level of vitamin A. This rice can then be distributed in areas where people lack
proper nutrition, improving their health.
 Increased Lifespan - Genetic engineering can be used to increase a person's risk of various
illnesses or conditions, improving the condition and length of a person's life.
 Increased Resources - With rapid population growth in some areas, resources become limited.
Genetic engineering can play a role in helping to decrease those limitations. For example, cows
could be genetically modified to give more milk, or sheep modified to produce more wool.
Disadvantages:

 Ethical Dilemmas - The ability to alter a person's DNA leads to the possibility of ''designer
babies,''.
A. If genetic engineering reached the point where DNA could be altered to create
specific desired traits in a person, parents could pay to have their child's DNA
genetically modified in the womb to create the ''perfect'' child.
B. This brings up ethical dilemmas of whether parents should be able to make
those decisions, the possibility of having an unbalanced ratio of males to
females, and the moral question of whether or not a person's DNA should even
be tampered with.
 Limits Diversity - Diversity is important in all species, but genetically modified species are
designed to be stronger and outlive other varieties. This limits the diversity within species.
  More Problems - Genetic engineering can introduce unfavorable characteristics into an organism.
A. For example, bacteria could resist antibiotics, an organism could produce a toxin, or
it could cause a disease.
 Ownership and Money- When a gene is created, it is owned by its creators. Therefore, the owners
control the price of items such as genetically modified crops.
A. The decision to make it more affordable or make it available in parts of the world
where it is needed most is up to the owner's discretion, who could opt to raise prices
or otherwise limit its availability.
B. When it comes to human genes, prices could be increased to the point where only the
rich could afford gene therapy to treat diseases.
Source:
https://study.com/learn/lesson/pros-cons-genetic-engineering.html