Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Biohackers Disregard FDA Warning on DIY Gene Therapy

posted by Fnord666 on Monday December 04 2017, @11:14AM   Printer-friendly
from the what-could-possibly-go-wrong dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

"Cease & Desist" has not worked:

Despite a warning from the federal government about do-it-yourself gene therapy, two companies say they'll continue offering DNA-altering materials to the public.

The companies, The Odin and Ascendance Biomedical, both recently posted videos online of people self-administering DNA molecules their labs had produced.

Following wide distribution of the videos, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week issued a harshly worded statement cautioning consumers against DIY gene-therapy kits and calling their sale illegal. "The sale of these products is against the law. FDA is concerned about the safety risks involved," the agency said.

Does the Executive Branch want the market to decide, or not?

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Biohackers Disregard FDA Warning on DIY Gene Therapy | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 45 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 2) by EvilSS on Monday December 04 2017, @03:58PM (9 children)

    by EvilSS (1456) Subscriber Badge on Monday December 04 2017, @03:58PM (#605099)
    You are putting words in my mouth. I didn't say all gene therapy is snake oil. That's like saying all drugs are useless because some crap boner pill sold online. What I am saying is that these unapproved, untested, direct to the consumer "gene therapy" products are going to turn out to be almost 100% crap. If the FDA doesn't crack down this is going to explode like the supplement market did in the 90's and 00's*, taking advantage of consumers who don't know better with sham products that don't do what they say. Only this time there is a real danger in harming the users.
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   2  

  • (Score: 2) by takyon on Monday December 04 2017, @04:01PM (8 children)

    by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Monday December 04 2017, @04:01PM (#605101) Journal

    It doesn't stop at the level of "products". People will be able to order custom-made DNA and use it as they see fit.

    --
    [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]

    • (Score: 3, Funny) by c0lo on Monday December 04 2017, @04:16PM (3 children)

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Monday December 04 2017, @04:16PM (#605105) Journal

      People will be able to order custom-made DNA and use it as they see fit.

      Why, actually I'm doing it every day!!!
      I even get it packed nicely from my butcher and use it in oral doses, after slightly grilling it both sides.
      The beef DNA I like best, but lamb is not far behind.

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford

      • (Score: 2) by inertnet on Monday December 04 2017, @10:15PM (2 children)

        by inertnet (4071) on Monday December 04 2017, @10:15PM (#605350) Journal

        Why, actually I'm doing it every day!!!

        What a coincidence, I donate my genes almost every day.

        • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Monday December 04 2017, @11:04PM

          by FatPhil (863) <{pc-soylent} {at} {asdf.fi}> on Monday December 04 2017, @11:04PM (#605380) Homepage
          Only your own genes? I tithe my internal biome too.
          --
          Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves

        • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday December 04 2017, @11:37PM

          by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Monday December 04 2017, @11:37PM (#605400) Journal

          Don't worry, this too shall pass.
          Sooner that you may like.

          --
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford

    • (Score: 2) by EvilSS on Monday December 04 2017, @04:33PM (3 children)

      by EvilSS (1456) Subscriber Badge on Monday December 04 2017, @04:33PM (#605118)
      OK, so first of all, that's still a product. If I order a custom tshirt, it's still a "product" being sold to me. Secondly, that just supports my point that these products will be dangerous if we don't apply some level of regulation to them. Genetics are not as cut and dry as a lot of people seem to think. Changes can have unexpected results that may not be immediately evident.

      Again though, go for it. If it works, great! If it kills you, also great! It's a win-win for society.

      • (Score: 2) by HiThere on Monday December 04 2017, @06:26PM (1 child)

        by HiThere (866) Subscriber Badge on Monday December 04 2017, @06:26PM (#605173) Journal

        These don't seem to be gene-line therapies, though, so the people are only hurting themselves. As long as nobody is paying them to do this, I don't see it as any worse than lots of other things people do that may hurt themselves, like mountain climbing or watching TV (sloth is deadly).

        OTOH, as you point out people don't really know the risks (do they ever?) and here they seem a bit more opaque than usual, so there should be mandated warnings intelligible to the average high school graduate. (I.e., pages of lawyer-speak shouldn't be valid.)

        --
        Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.

        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by EvilSS on Monday December 04 2017, @07:13PM

          by EvilSS (1456) Subscriber Badge on Monday December 04 2017, @07:13PM (#605218)
          Like i said I'm torn. It's their bodies (well until they start giving this crap to their kids) so they should be able to do as they please. But without any regulation there is no way to know that people are getting what they are promised, that it's safe and/or effective, and what the known risks and side effects are. And you better believe the field will quickly fill up with companies out to make a quick buck scamming people vs making a difference.

          And before anyone goes all whataboutism on the current state of the pharma industry, do you think they would be BETTER without the regulations currently on them? Really??

      • (Score: 2) by takyon on Monday December 04 2017, @06:58PM

        by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Monday December 04 2017, @06:58PM (#605204) Journal

        I'd like to remind you that Odin is not selling a gene therapy. They are selling components that can be used to create a gene therapy.

        That should not be outlawed, no matter how unsafe it could be. If it is outlawed, I would encourage it to be circumvented by desktop-sized equipment capable of synthesizing DNA and creating plasmids. If it lands in the $1,000 to $20k range, it's within the reach of DIY bio home users and especially hackerspaces or small groups.

        --
        [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]