One of the major issues overshadowing RNA interference (RNAi) technology over the last year has been that it may do more harm than good. A study published last year found that when RNAi was performed in mice, they died. There was worry that the RNA molecules were interfering with normal cellular function in addition to doing what they're supposed to do -- inhibit the expression of specific genes.
Researchers at Alnylam
If you're thinking that all this talk about mice is a sign that RNAi technology is still in its infancy, you'd be right. My problem with RNAi isn't that it has no potential, but that companies are overpaying for an unproven technology. From Merck's