When we hear the words gene therapy, it can sound like something out of a science-fiction film; a promise to rewrite the very code of life. Yet today, gene therapy is no longer just a dream. It is here, changing lives in ways many of us never imagined. But what does it mean, and who is it really for?
Gene therapy is a treatment that goes straight to the root of certain illnesses: our genes. Genes are the body’s instructions, its blueprint. They tell our cells how to grow, how to function and how to survive. But when just one instruction carries a mistake, the body suffers.
This is what happens in Sickle Cell Disease. A single mutation changes the shape of red blood cells, twisting them into sickles that block blood vessels, trigger unbearable pain and damage vital organs. Traditional treatments, like hydroxyurea or regular blood transfusions, only manage
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