Even if gene therapy does work, how will a stretched NHS foot the bill?

Gene therapy is one of those medical “breakthroughs” that has unfortunately failed to live up to expectations. Several clinical trials, usually involving inherited diseases caused by defects in single genes, have ended in failure and, in at least one case, the death of patients.

But if gene therapy proves to work, the big question is whether the NHS will be able to afford yet another new treatment, costing several thousand pounds a shot.