Gene therapy in the world and in Switzerland

Until the mid-seventies, biology used to be taught as an interesting, yet rather "useless" discipline in our high schools. The advent of molecular biology has drastically changed this image. Now, applied molecular genetics has been shown to have the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our life, including the paradigms of medicine. In a first phase, gene knowledge has allowed medical diagnosis with previously unimaginable precision. In a second wave, gene transfer in micro-organisms has produced a plethora of biopharmaceuticals. This decade has seen the third era of molecular medicine, in which direct gene transfer into humans is being developed. This article comments on the most recent developments and concepts in the field of human gene transfer (also called "gene therapy"). Some essential methods are briefly presented and a great deal of attention is devoted to the technical hurdles still to be overcome in achieving efficient and safe gene therapy protocols. The final paragraph attempts to clear up some myths and misunderstandings that are commonly propagated when people talk or think about gene therapy. The purpose of this article will be fulfilled if at the end the reader is convinced that gene therapy is not necessarily dedicated exclusively to hereditary disorders, that Switzerland undertaken an intensive and competitive experimental effort in this direction, that gene therapy has already proven its efficacy and has great potential, but that it will take a couple of decades before some applications are routinely used in the clinic.