Gene Therapy – Why Did Jesse Have to Die? The Chronicle of a Fatal Experiment

Soon after celebrating his 18th birthday Jesse Gelsinger took part in an apparently harmless experiment. On September 13th, 1999 the young American was injected with 30ml of genetically modified viruses.
Scientists at the University of Philadelphia, USA, were hoping to use the experiment to develop new treatment methods. Four days later Jesse was dead. He was the world’s first victim of so-called gene therapy. The doctors responsible spoke of a tragic accident.

The film shows, however, that Jesse’s death was as predictable as it was avoidable. Moreover, the participating genetic researchers apparently placed a higher priority on economic interests than the safety of their patients.

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WDR / ARTE