BIOLOGY STUDENTS UNDERSTANDING OF CYSTIC-FIBROSIS, GENE-THERAPY, AND GENE SCREENING

The ideas of 290 Year 1 biology undergraduate students about cystic fi brosis, gene therapy, and gene screening have been explored using a mu ltiple-choice-type questionnaire. Students were reasonably informed ab out the nature of cystic fibrosis disease, although many underestimate d its prevalence, Fewer of the students understood the mechanism of in heritance of cystic fibrosis. Only a third of the students appreciated the way in which gene therapy is currently effected; many thought tha t 'faulty' genes could be removed and some even imagined that they cou ld be repaired and replaced. A quarter of the students thought that te sting For the cystic Fibrosis gene would produce medical side-effects. In the affective domain, about half the group would wish to be tested , but a third were uncertain.