CAIE A Level Biology 9700 · Genetic technology
A 6-year-old child has been diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a rare inherited eye disease that causes severe vision loss from birth. The child's parents are considering gene therapy, which involves delivering a functional copy of the defective gene to the retinal cells. Discuss the social and ethical considerations that should be taken into account when deciding whether to use gene therapy for this child.
5 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 5 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.
Discuss means: Set out the points on more than one side and weigh them up. Cover both sides, then finish with a judgement that follows from what you wrote.
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