Human gene therapy is a technique currently being extensively trialed in an attempt to treat genetic and other diseases. Although the process of human gene therapy has lots of potential, its technological progress has been continually stunted by many ethical, social and safety concerns. People are worried that by tampering with the basic structure of our bodies, we are turning ourselves into technologically designed "products." There are also concerns that human gene therapy could have some long-term health consequences, or that people will use the technology on themselves or others who have no genetic disorder, thereby creating "super-humans."

How Does It Work"

Gene therapy techniques will introduce copies of a "healthy" gene into cells of the body. This gene then multiplies, creating more and more "healthy" genes. In this way the disease or genetic disorder can be controlled, or even reversed. This...