Gene Therapy Risks Explained!

Gene therapy has a lot of potential risks.

A gene can't easily be inserted directly into your cells. Rather, it usually has to be delivered using a carrier, called a viral vector.

The most common gene therapy vectors are exosomes, liposomes, lipid nanoparticles or stem cells because they can recognize certain cells and carry genetic material into the cells' genes.

Researchers remove the original genes from the viral vectors, replacing them with the genes needed to stop disease.

This technique presents the following risks:

Unwanted immune system reaction.

Your body's immune system may see the newly introduced viral vectors as intruders and attack them. This may cause inflammation and, in severe cases, organ failure.

Targeting the wrong cells.

Because viral vectors can affect more than one type of cell, it's possible that the engineered viral vectors may infect additional cells — not just the targeted cells containing mutated genes. If this happens, healthy cells may be damaged, causing other illness or diseases, such as cancer.

Infection caused by the viral vectors.

It's possible that once introduced into the body, the viral vectors may recover their original gene function and cause a specific gene function in the wrong area of the body and cause mast cell formation of toxic nodules.

Possibility of causing a tumor.

If the new genes get inserted in the wrong spot in your DNA, there is a chance that the insertion might lead to tumor formation.

Currently, the only way for you to receive gene therapy is to participate in a clinical trial. Such as the ongoing covid-19 gene therapy clinical trials!