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Treating severe illnesses with gene therapy

August 1, 2014

For the first time in 2012, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the use of a gene therapy in the EU. The treatment is aimed at helping people with a rare genetic disease that affects the pancreas.

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Vaterschaftstest im Genlabor p178
Image: dpa

Tomorrow Today went to talk with one of the sufferers about whether she plans to have the treatment, which is not without risks. Because the disease is so rare, the therapy has only been tested on a few people so far, and as yet unknown side effects could prove dangerous.