Gene
therapy is a promising path that researchers are following to find
cures and treatments for deadly genetic diseases. So far, there are
seven known deaths associated with this type of research. The first
confirmed fatality occurred in September of 1999. Eighteen-year-old
Jesse Gelsinger died after undergoing gene therapy. Gelsinger suffered
from a rare genetic liver disease and researchers believe his immune
system "over" responded to the gene therapy treatment.
