Nurturing Genetically Engineered Animals for Drugs

The science of genetic engineering has taken a leap, now affecting curative drug for cancerdefine.

How a clone sheep or the milk from a “differently treated” cow can cure cancerdefine? Themedguru explores the realm of genetically engineered animals and production of effective drug components from them...

Multi-million Dollar Industry on its Way

A very recent decision by FDA has stirred the entire food and drug industry. On January 15, 2009, FDA came up with a proposal to approve the production and sale of a goat that produces an anti-clotting drug in its milk. The drug is being produced by GTC Biotherapeutics. This would mean a multi-million dollar industry is on its way, further widening the sphere of research in this miraculous science.

Randall Lutter, (deputy commissioner for policy in the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine) stated that all genetically engineered animals would require approval from FDA before entering the market. The producers of these animals , would also have to comply with the regulations and laws of the National Environmental Policy Act.

Apparently, drug making from genetically engineered animals shows a bright prospect in the field of medicinal science, thus raising curiosity about the science behind the whole process.

What does Genetic Engineering mean?

Genetic engineering means, a variety of methods, which would induce certain genetic features in an organism unseen naturally. These methods would achieve gene deletion or doubling for instance or even changing the position of genesdefine. Methods such as cell fusion or Recombinant DNA (rDNA) can induce new characteristics in an organism. The resultant organism is completely different from an organisation of the same species genetically.

Virtues of Genetically Engineered products

Genetically engineered products have long been in use. Genetically engineered yeast is used in baking, genetically engineered microbes help in cheese-making and also for developing medicines. Certain animals are genetically altered so that they can be used for human transplantations, for instance, they provide cells, tissues or organs that fit with the human immune systemdefine. These include cells to help diabetics, skin grafts for victims of burns, and even organs such as liver, kidney or heart replacements for the critically ill.

Supporters of Genetic Engineering say that this practice can bring a marked change in the environment and also in the lives of people. For example, healthier food, heart healthy eggs etc can well be a reality through genetic engineering. According to Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, the effects og genetic engineering on environment will be immense. She says that pigs which have been genetically engineered produce less phosphorus in their waste. Various fish have also been genetically engineered to meet the market size quicker so that demand can be met in time. Genetically engineered cows produce immune-globulins in their milk, which helps in the treatment of a variety of diseases including cancerdefine.

Suspicions about the methodology

Some anti group all over the world have raised a few points against the FDA’s approval on the practice as well as the very practice altering genes. They argue that it is wrong to mess with natural genetic structure in animals. Some opponents also say that genetically engineering animals can cause them pain and go against the animal rights.

According to many experts, a label should be provided on each product from a genetically engineered animal so that consumers should choose whether or not they want to use it. FDA however, has only made regulations for animals to be labeled, not the products. Though they have agreed to regulate gene altered animals under the provisions of its “New Animal Drug” rule.

Believe what you may, but the fact of the matter is that genetic engineering is here to stay and in the coming years we will hear a lot more about genetic engineering.