roduced into an affected person can treat the disease. Hemophilia B is much easier to treat, and often preferred by some therapy labs. The reason that it is easier to treat is because the defected gene found in hemophilia B, is smaller than the gene found in hemophilia A. Another reason it is easier to treat is that simply getting missing clotting factors injected into the blood stream can cure hemophilia. There are a few basic steps used in gene therapy. The desired gene must first be isolated which is done through gene therapy and gene engineering. The gene must then be transferred into the cells. Four methods are available to transfer the gene into the cell. Fusion, chemical injections, physical methods, and vector viral use. The vector viruses are used to infect almost every cell in the target population and can deliver the gene to the cell that was trying to be treated.There are concerns in this technology when added to other forms of technology that the world may end up all in the same. I mean that the world may try and do with gene therapy what they want to do with cloningthey will make identical copies that they believe are "perfect". "Although its not a present worry and its certainly not the focus of research, as gene therapy progresses and we have the technology to put genes in to treat disease, there must also be safeguards put in (place) or we will end up with people trying to put genes in to make designer babies," said French Anderson, M.D. "Its a worry that needs to stay right up front in peoples minds." On a personal note, I feel that there has been some tremendous work with gene therapy in the past twenty years and it seems we are nearing a future of hemophilia-free humans. Gene therapy seems to be making some wonderful improvements in other fields as well, although treating hemophilia seems to be easier and quicker than any other treatment used to attempt to take control of hemophilia....
