What do patients, their relatives and medical staff know about genetic therapy?

To investigate the knowledge of, and attitudes towards gene therapy of cancer patients, their relatives, and the staff treating the patients.

Cross sectional questionnaire study.

a) One hundred patients with ovarian cancer either 1) in current treatment with chemotherapy, or 2) in follow up after chemotherapy. b) The relatives accompanying these patients to clinic. c) Fifty doctors and fifty nurses at the hospital in question.

Knowledge about genes and gene therapy, attitudes toward gene therapy and its introduction in the NHS, willingness to accept additional side-effects for a given-therapeutic gain.

Patients and relatives have only limited knowledge about genes and gene therapy, but knowledge is also limited about how chemotherapy works. The attitude towards gene therapy is positive, and the worry about gene therapy being like 'playing God' is accepted by less than 10%. There is a strong belief that if gene therapy is effective it should be paid by the NHS (over 85% agree with this).