Treating Severe Combined Immunodeficiency
In Treating Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, learn how doctors used gene therapy to fix a boy’s immune system. Meet Reese, a child with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), whose immune system was successfully treated through this groundbreaking medical procedure. Discover how gene therapy works, how viruses can be used to deliver genes, and the role of white blood cells in the immune system. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
Lesson Express
Q: What is severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and how does it affect a person’s immune system?
A: SCID is a genetic disorder where a person is born with a severely weakened immune system due to the lack of functioning white blood cells. This makes them highly susceptible to infections.
Q: How did doctors use gene therapy to treat Reese’s SCID?
A: Doctors used a modified virus to deliver a healthy gene to Reese’s immune cells, effectively correcting the genetic mutation causing his SCID and allowing his immune system to function normally.
Q: What are the potential ethical implications of using gene therapy to treat genetic disorders like SCID?
A: Gene therapy raises questions about long-term effects, accessibility, and whether such treatments should be used for conditions that may not be immediately life-threatening or for non-medical reasons.