Gene Therapy

[Darryl Webster]

Was provided with this link by somone close to a major squad who tells me that he believes/ knows it`s in use.

Im delibretly not naming anyone ( it wouldnt be very prudent) here but puting the link up for peeps to give there thoughts on the liklyhood that gene therapy is in use at the higest leval?

http://archive.student.bmj.com/issues/08/07/education/282.php

 

[FKLance]

This article is from 2008 I believe. There was talk at the Beijing olympics that gene therapy is feared to be the destroyer of clean sports! I love good rumours but I really hope it's not coming..

 

[131313]

Was provided with this link by somone close to a major squad who tells me that he believes/ knows it`s in use.



http://archive.student.bmj.com/issues/08/07/education/282.php

I wonder if they read this?

 

[Darryl Webster]

I wonder if they read this?

Is that test being used by Medical Controls yet?

 

[Maxiton]

OK, you want to hear something crazy? Usually, secret military R&D is ten or more years ahead of what we know about. Isn't it possible that gene doping was used on LA? I know it's a Blade Runner type scenario - but wouldn't that be something?

Anyway, gene doping is coming, and quicker than you might think. How that will factor into the lofty prospect of attaining "clean sport" I have no idea; but I bet it won't make it easier.

 

[euanli]

Care to name this major squad?

 

[Anonymous]

Believes or knows?

There are people who believe in UFO's, there are people who Believe man landed on the moon. But believing knowing are very very different.

(needless to say I believe in neither UFO's or the moon landing)

 

[D-Queued]

OK, you want to hear something crazy? Usually, secret military R&D is ten or more years ahead of what we know about. Isn't it possible that gene doping was used on LA? I know it's a Blade Runner type scenario - but wouldn't that be something?

Anyway, gene doping is coming, and quicker than you might think. How that will factor into the lofty prospect of attaining "clean sport" I have no idea; but I bet it won't make it easier.

I suppose it is possible. How else do you explain overcoming sterilization?

Gene doping?

This is not an off-the-wall accusation, and is more than theoretical.

As an example:

One of the first successful gene-doping tests was conducted ten years ago and targeted at defective Sertoli cells in infertile mice. Sertoli cells are known to be damaged by chemotherapy, and defective sertoli cells accounts for 10% of male-cause infertility cases.

As a poster-child for experimental drug therapy, the possibility cannot be discounted.

Dave.

Dave.

 

[bianchigirl]

You know Baxter are involved in gene therapy to find a cure for, amongst other things, cancer

 

[Maxiton]

I suppose it is possible. How else do you explain overcoming sterilization?



Dave.

I remember reading that when you first posted it, Dave, and being struck by it because somebody (namely you) had the guts to talk in public about something I've long imagined, if not suspected. If it is true (definitely a big if), it would be ironic if LA went down for doping. But it's one scenario we can pretty much discount, because the closer it is to being true, the less likely it is anyone will ever hear about it. And besides, the easier way to arrive at seven sequential Tour wins is simply to train your caboose off and . . . follow the advice of your doctor.

EDIT: Of course, there is the whole question of curing your end-stage, metastasized cancer; and then coming back from that to be tops in your sport; and reversing your sterilization in the bargain . . . . It all begs the question, for sure.

 

[D-Queued]

You know Baxter are involved in gene therapy to find a cure for, amongst other things, cancer

Yes, but Lance's current drug company of choice is BMS. Your point still holds, however.

Dave.

 

[Darryl Webster]

Care to name this major squad?

I only wish I could it believe me but it realy wouldnt be right.

All I can ask is that you accept that and that while I believe the source to be credible I most certainly would not accept it as fact at this point.
It`s the 3rd accusation I`ve heard by people who have been or are closer to the set up..all independant and freely volunteered to me.
Of the three the first I ignored as the mutterings of a bitter has been, the 2nd seemed more plausable but lacked detail as they didnt want to take part in what ( they believe) they were being asked to do. They were dropped from the squad.
This third is/was much closer to the situation and may in due course provide some detail.
I truely wish I could be more open about it.

 

[euanli]

On prior form I'm going to assume by major squad you mean Team GB. Its up to you if you want to correct me on that.

 

[Nederick]

I would not have thought that there was THAT much money involved in cycling to support riders getting on a gene doping program.

At this point in time.

 

[Fester]

How grim, how very grim. Bags of blood seem okay in contrast. Still, what goes round, comes round.

It a shame when the rest have evolved and the sport is acceptably honest.

 

[MarkvW]

Gene therapy is really Dr. Frankenstein (that's Frahnk-N-Steen) stuff. This stuff isn't transitory. It creates permanent results; results that are passed through to offspring.

Stimulant, steroid, and EPO doping is something that many half-educated riders gamble with. These riders do not have expert, professional doping support. Some survive the doping gauntlet unscathed; others don't.

But gene doping is something else. I wonder if the resilient human body can survive a gene doping regimen that is administered by a pro team "soigneur" hack?

Anybody with specialized information?

 

[Darryl Webster]

Gene therapy is really Dr. Frankenstein (that's Frahnk-N-Steen) stuff. This stuff isn't transitory. It creates permanent results; results that are passed through to offspring.


Anybody with specialized information?

Thats how I understand it to Mark..which is why I was so shocked at the accusation.
However the mention of a certain University made my ears *** up and lent a little more credibility.
Please peeps, I AM NOT saying it`s happening but some people clearly believe it is ..so I`m curious.

Ps. Just Googled the University in question and it IS involved in Gene Therapy research.

 

[Mambo95]

Gene therapy is really Dr. Frankenstein (that's Frahnk-N-Steen) stuff. This stuff isn't transitory. It creates permanent results; results that are passed through to offspring.

No it doesn't. They're a long way off that. It might not even be possible at all.

To quote, from here: http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genetherapy.shtml

"Short-lived nature of gene therapy - Before gene therapy can become a permanent cure for any condition, the therapeutic DNA introduced into target cells must remain functional and the cells containing the therapeutic DNA must be long-lived and stable. Problems with integrating therapeutic DNA into the genome and the rapidly dividing nature of many cells prevent gene therapy from achieving any long-term benefits. Patients will have to undergo multiple rounds of gene therapy."

 

[The Hitch]

Since we are just throwing around ideas, my guess is that if gene therapy is in use, the first succesful attempt is Usain Bolt.

I dont get the idea of Lance gene therapy. You hate him that bad? You think he was that bad that on top of his Ferrari programme which easily explains his once a season domination, some grand conspiracy made him a gene doper as well.

You think if he was gene doping he would only be able to do one race a year, and was winning it by less than 20 minutes.

 

[RTMcFadden]

"Short-lived nature of gene therapy - Before gene therapy can become a permanent cure for any condition, the therapeutic DNA introduced into target cells must remain functional and the cells containing the therapeutic DNA must be long-lived and stable. Problems with integrating therapeutic DNA into the genome and the rapidly dividing nature of many cells prevent gene therapy from achieving any long-term benefits. Patients will have to undergo multiple rounds of gene therapy."

There are no active clinical trials that I'm aware of, because all of the patients tend to die. While this is and has been a hot area of research, they haven't been able to translate it into somehting useful at this point.

 

[Granville57]

(needless to say I believe in neither UFO's or the moon landing)

So you definitely don't believe in UFO'S landing on the moon then?

You think if he was gene doping he would only be able to do one race a year, and was winning it by less than 20 minutes.

One must maintain a certain degree of subtly and humility.

 

[Mambo95]

Since we are just throwing around ideas, my guess is that if gene therapy is in use, the first succesful attempt is Usain Bolt.

I dont get the idea of Lance gene therapy. You hate him that bad? You think he was that bad that on top of his Ferrari programme which easily explains his once a season domination, some grand conspiracy made him a gene doper as well.

You think if he was gene doping he would only be able to do one race a year, and was winning it by less than 20 minutes.

Gene therapy doesn't make supermen, it corrects faulty genes, such as one's which cause diseases, by replacing them with normal ones.

What you are suggesting is genetic engineering, which is mostly done on plants. A small amount has been done on mice but nothing bigger.

Comparing what is actually possible, to what you think is possible is like comparing Alexander Graham Bell's telephone to an iPhone.

 

[Merckx index]

Gene therapy is really Dr. Frankenstein (that's Frahnk-N-Steen) stuff. This stuff isn't transitory. It creates permanent results; results that are passed through to offspring.

There are two kinds of gene therapy. The more common kind, which is being done RIGHT NOW, introduces the foreign gene into somatic tissues, and is NOT passed along to offspring. This is approved in certain clinical trials and is already having major medical benefits. To take just one example, people with coronary artery problems can be given gene therapy that results in the growth of new blood vessels to the heart. Needless to say, this would very likely result in performance enhancement.

The other kind of therapy, which has not been approved, and which most people in the field believe should never be approved, introduces the foreign gene into germ cells, eggs or sperm. This type of therapy is passed along to your kids.

Finally, gene therapy of either kind is not necessarily permanent. One can build into the gene a mechanism that allows the gene to be turned on or off. Also, as another poster mentioned or alluded to, at the current state of the art, the foreign gene gets degraded or eliminated from the body's cells eventually. Future developments will probably greatly extend its time of action, though.

 

[Darryl Webster]

Im looking at the university in questions website and it sais they were running the worlds first gene therapy trials to treat pancreatic cancer in 2004.
Reading through the list of research projects I was drawn to one with regards to "Hypoxia related gene therapy" as possibly having some relevance for PED potential.
Bare in mind its area I know ****** all about and Im fumbling in the dark here.
Hypoxia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoxia_(medical)

 

[Granville57]

I have to wonder if testing someone at a young age, to use as a (hopefully unmodified) reference will become necessary to help prevent genetic doping. Of course that would only apply to those with early athletic ambitions. Taylor Phinney comes to mind as someone who didn't have early ambitions to be a pro athlete (at least not as a cyclist). So there are obvious problems with this approach. But it does make one wonder.

I would think the most likely place to see something like this take place would be in the home athletes of an Olympic host—whatever country that might be in any given year. There is so much on the line, and the need to justify the enormous financial undertaking of hosting the games, plus there's the obvious substantial lead-time up to that event.

As was recently posted elsewhere in regards to the public perception of steroid use, etc. It is changing over time, as many people would eagerly embrace any artificial way to enhance themselves were it legal and available. It is a strange new world indeed, on the horizon.