What is the fundamental difference between gene therapy and traditional medicine treatments?
Answer
Gene therapy addresses the underlying genetic instructions causing disease, moving away from treating symptoms.
Gene therapy represents a paradigm shift in medical intervention by targeting the fundamental blueprint of life—DNA or RNA—rather than reacting to the downstream manifestations of illness. Traditional pharmacology often involves managing symptoms or controlling the progression of a disease through ongoing medication regimens. Gene therapy aims higher: to correct or compensate for a malfunctioning or missing gene, thereby tackling the root cause of the condition itself, with the potential to cure or provide a long-lasting correction instead of chronic symptom management.

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