Gene Therapy for Bubble Babies
Every child deserves the chance to lead a life filled with play, friendships, laughter, and hugs. A 96% success rate is outstanding.
"A gene therapy that makes use of an unlikely helper, the AIDS virus, gave a working immune system to 48 babies and toddlers who were born without one, doctors reported Tuesday.
Results show that all but two of the 50 children who were given the experimental therapy in a study now have healthy germ-fighting abilities.
'We’re taking what otherwise would have been a fatal disease' and healing most of these children with a single treatment, said study leader Dr. Donald Kohn of UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.