Gene therapy is just an expensive myth, claim scientists

The "biotech revolution", which has been acclaimed by scientists as the path to miracle cures, has not delivered genuine improvements, according to an official study published this week.



Among the scientific breakthroughs attributed to biotechnology - which is based on the analysis of the behaviour of human genes and living cells - are the birth of Dolly, the cloned sheep, and advances in the search for cures for genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis.

Another was the completion of the first draft of the map of the human genome, the complete genetic blueprint of humans, which was described by Tony Blair as "a revolution in medical science whose implications far surpass even the discovery of antibiotics".

Earlier this year the Government said that an extra £100 million had been made available to speed the introduction of new drugs, and last month said it would boost investment in research.

A study of the impact of biotechnology on medical treatments, concludes, however, that the claims surrounding gene therapy have been wildly exaggerated and that it is an expensive myth.

It has found...