Thursday, April 12, 2012

Gene-therapy could be a possible treatment for Beta-Thalassemia

Italian Scientists have demonstrated through an experiment that utilizing gene therapy as treatment for Beta Thalassemia.  Since this disease is blood-related, it is easier to extract the bone marrow from affected individuals and alter the cells.  Currently, the treatment for the full-blown disease is constant blood transfusions, which can be dangerous because of a buildup of iron in the body.  The only alternative is bone marrow transplantation.  If this gene therapy is perfected it may be able to cure the disease before it becomes a large problem later in a patients life.

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