The genes race.

Two medical teams compete to develop a successful method of gene delivery in gene therapy for cystic fibrosis. Dr. Ron Crystal (Cornell Medical Center, U.S.) uses an adenovirus as a vehicle for the replacement gene, delivered through the mouth to the lungs, while Prof. Bob Williamson (St. Mary's Hospital London), who is working with Prof. Duncan Geddes (Royal Brompton Hospital, London) uses a nasal tube with the gene contained in a liposome. The film follows the teams through the planning and permission stages of their work, which began 1989 and examine the setbacks they encounter. It also highlights the different views of how far it is permissable to put patients at risk in the search for a cure. The film follows the researchers up to 1995, demonstrating that the achievements of medical researchers may appear as a very small step in the eyes of those suffering from the condition in question.