Official Question UPSC 2026
Which of the following statements with regard to genetic medicine is/are correct ? 1. Genetic medicines correct/compensate for the faulty genes responsible for disease. 2. Engineered viruses and lipid nanoparticles are used as carriers of the genetic medicine. 3. Genetic medicines alter the entire DNA sequence. Select the answer using the code given below :
Solution & Analysis
Answer: C
Let us examine the biochemical principles of Genetic Medicine:
•Statement 1 is Correct: The fundamental purpose of genetic medicine (including gene therapy and gene editing) is to treat diseases at their molecular root. It does this by introducing, disabling, or modifying genetic material to compensate for or correct faulty or missing genes.
•Statement 2 is Correct: Genetic payloads cannot survive in the bloodstream or penetrate cells on their own. They require "vectors" (carriers). Scientists use engineered viruses (stripped of their disease-causing ability) or non-viral Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs)—which wrap the genetic material in a protective fat bubble—to safely deliver the therapy into the target cells.
•Statement 3 is Incorrect: The human genome is vast (over 3 billion base pairs). Genetic medicine is designed to be hyper-precise; it targets only specific, localized sequences or single defective genes (like targeting a typo on one page of an encyclopedia). It absolutely does not alter the entire DNA sequence.
Conclusion: Statements 1 and 2 represent accurate modern biotechnology.