14. Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a way of treating genetic conditions that tries to correct the underlying genetic change that is responsible for symptoms rather than treating the symptoms themselves.

Gene therapy uses natural processes from viruses and bacteria to create working genes and deliver them into our cells. This can either be by taking a person’s cells into the laboratory to make genetic corrections then returning them (called ex vivo) or by treating a person with a method that allows the working gene to be delivered to the cells in their body that need it (called in vivo).