Health Alert: Gene therapy cures infants with ‘bubble boy’ immune disorder, raising hopes of using it to remedy other genetic diseases

Ten newborns with a rare genetic disorder called severe combined immunodeficiency disease were given functional immune systems with gene therapy. An earlier attempt to use gene therapy to cure SCID was halted in 2003 when it gave children cancer. The treatment unveiled Wednesday does not appear to carry such calamitous side effects, and experts hope it could help advance cures for other rare genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease.

Democracy Dies in Darkness     Health Alert Apr 17, 5:04 PM     Gene therapy cures infants with 'bubble boy' immune disorder, raising hopes of using it to remedy other genetic diseases Ten newborns with a rare genetic disorder called severe combined immunodeficiency disease were given functional immune systems with gene therapy. An earlier attempt to use gene therapy to cure SCID was halted in 2003 when it gave children cancer. The treatment unveiled Wednesday does not appear to carry such calamitous side effects, and experts hope it could help advance cures for other rare genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease. Read more » Advertisement You received this email because you signed up for news alerts from The Washington Post. Manage my newsletters and alerts | Unsubscribe Privacy Policy | Help ©2019 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071