SHARIAH COMPLIANT FRAMEWORK FOR SOMATIC GENE THERAPY IN HUMAN
Somatic gene therapy is one type of a medical procedure that uses DNA in the therapeutic treatment of a patient’s disease which involves adding functional genes to cells other than egg or sperm cells (reproductive cells). Somatic Gene Therapy enables to correcting a genetic defect and any abnormality that exists in the somatic (i.e. body) cells of a patient such as by replacing the defective genes with the correct functional genes. By targeting the somatic cells, the genome is changed that will not be passed and inherited to future offspring but only confined to the individual patient. This therapy has become regular therapeutic option available and has been actively pursued in many developing countries by Muslim, Non-Muslim medical doctors and scientist in the absence of clear Shariah Framework. As such, this model of Shariah Framework is developed to fulfil the lacuna of a Shariah Framework on the application of Somatic Gene Therapy. It is designed as a result of a thorough and in depth study of the position of Somatic Gene Therapy from the Shari’ah perspective. This model framework is very unique in itself as it is developed to embrace Shariah holistic approach in this new medical treatment via an in depth study on the position of Somatic Gene Therapy from the Shariah point of view. These include a detailed analysis of Quranic evidences and principles, Hadith of the Prophet PBUH, Analysis of the Maqasid Shariah and Qawaid Fiqhiyyah, as well as analysis of the benefits and harms which would resulted from the application of Somatic Gene Therapy. Various fatwas decreed by a variety of fatwa council worldwide were also analyzed. This proposed model of Shariah Framework would serve as the ethical basis to govern for the application of Somatic Gene Therapy in Malaysia and beyond (particularly Muslim countries). This framework can also be used as reference for Muslim doctors, geneticist, scientists and Muslims at large.
- FADILAH BINTI ABD RAHMAN
- ZAKIAH BINTI SAMORI
- NURUL AINA SAIDIN
- SITI FATAHIYAH MAHAMOOD
