“Recently, there is a discussion about cell therapy: if the cell therapy doesn’t work and become a measurement for athletes to raise their scores, should it be terminated?” Prof. Arne Ljungqvist, WADA’s Vice President and Director of WADA’s Health, Medical and Research Committee, put forward this question at the 4th Gene & Cell Doping Symposium.

Prof. Ljungqvist said that there should be a clearer limit to technical and moral problem between gene therapy and score improvement; While the gene therapy may result in more muscle and blood diseases, the risk of misusing the gene therapy by the sport circles also becomes higher and higher.

On the other hand, gene can also be used to develop potential novel testing tool and probably bring about an anti-doping revolution. This symposium discussed about substances and methods which may be used for different types of drug tests.

Besides, this symposium also discussed the gene doping from the perspectives of ethics and philosophy. According to Prof. Theodore Friedmann, Director of WADA’s Gene Doping Expert Group, it’s important that anti-doping should relate to social value; the symposium provided scientists with an opportunity to discuss ethic and philosophic significance of anti-doping activities in scientific and medical terms, especially, possibly social influence in a large scale arisen from gene doping.

Zhao Jian, CHINADA’s Deputy Director stated that this symposium offered anti-doping experts and leaders home and abroad an exchange and sharing platform in such manners as co-hosting, speech giving and discussions.

During June 5~6th, the 4th Gene & Cell Dosing Symposium, which firstly set up “cell therapy & dosing” part officially, took place in Beijing. Cell therapists, scientists in anti-dosing and sport ethics joined in the discussion in gene dosing team. The meeting reviewed the latest research results, and communicated new drug testing methods under development.

This symposium invited over 70 guests, 16 of which were experts in gene therapy and gene doping testing means, as well as researchers in WADA-invested projects. As the organizers, CHINADA and BODA enhanced the cooperation with the WADA, and made contributions to promoting scientific research in anti-doping and maintaining the sport purity.