Gene therapy as practiced at PL 5-targeting specific cells for localized modification-affects only the patient directly receiving the treatment. She is unable to pass the modifications on to her offspring. However, once the technology reaches the point in PL 6 that it can imbue the subject with new special qualities, the subject has been changed at a basic genetic level and the traits may be passed along to children.
This process has the potential to create an entirely new race- winged humans, for example. And if the
genetic manipulation is extensive enough that the subject's DNA is no longer compatible with naturally occurring DNA-if she can no longer mate with normal m embers her own kind-the subject has actually been transformed into a new species. Such manipulation generally is not possible until PL 7.