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India’s Regulatory System Must Evolve for Tailored Gene Therapies

India’s Regulatory System Must Evolve for Tailored Gene Therapies
Rare diseases can be treated with tailored gene therapy but India’s regulatory system must evolve · livemint.com

Some rare diseases are caused by specific changes in a person’s genes.

Scientists can design gene treatments for those changes.

In India, many people belong to endogamous communities, where people have historically married within the same community.

This can make the same rare genetic change appear in several people.

A treatment made for one person could then help dozens of others.

The article says this gives India a strong reason to support gene-therapy research.

It also says India’s rules for approving these treatments need to change.

The goal would be to find treatments more quickly and at lower cost.

Key facts

Medical focus
Tailored gene therapy for rare diseases
Country discussed
India
Demographic feature
India has the largest number of endogamous communities in the world
Genetic pattern
The same rare mutation can recur within an endogamous community
Potential benefit
A therapy designed for one person may treat dozens more
Proposed change
India’s regulatory system should evolve
Stated objective
Develop cures faster and more cheaply

Sources

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