Medicine and Sport@Lancet

Every year, The Lancet publishes a 'bonus' themed issue.

This year thier theme is 'Medicine and Sport', prompted by 2005 being declared by the United Nations to be The International Year of Sport and Physical Education with the aim to promote sport as a way to help reach the Millenium Development Goals.

WADA Gene Doping Symposium 2005

Gene doping threat recognised by WADA@UK sport

Discussions in Stockholm focused on the scientific, ethical and public policy issues related to gene doping as a possible method of performance enhancement. A number of conclusions were made:

* Gene therapy, although still at a relatively early stage of development,
represents great promise as a correction method for human diseases.
* There are many risks and dangers associated with gene therapy.
* Greater communication on the topic is encouraged, both among the general
public about the principles of gene therapy, and with the sports community
on the specific issues related to its use on athletes.
* The research programme that has been instigated by WADA, and which includes
investment in a project being managed at HFL in Cambridgeshire, have made
great progress towards a better understanding of gene therapy and raised hopes
that a suitable detection method can be developed.