Transgenic Animals and Ethical issues

Transgenic Animals and Ethical issues :

Transgenic animals :

 These are the animals that have had their DNA manipulated to posses and express an extra (foreign) gene. Using rDNA technology many transgenic rats, rabbits, pigs sheeps, cows and fish have been produced. Over 95% of all the exit transgenic animals are mice. Common reasons for developing transgenic animals include.

Transgenic animals and ethical issues 

Study of Normal physiology and Development :

Trangenic animals can be used to understand regulations of genes, their effect on the normal functions of the body and its development, e.g. Study of complex growth factors like insulin, growth factor.

Study of Diseases :

Transgenic animals can be developed for studying genes, which are responsible for causing diseases in human and their treatments, e.g. Transgenic models have been developed for many diseases like cancer, cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer's disease. Through these model animals, we can study how genes contribute to the development of a disease.

Biological products :

These can be produced by introducing the portion of DNA, which codes for a particular biological product into transgenic animals.
For example-
(1) Human protein (alpha-1 antritrypsin) is used to treat emphysema.
(2) The first transgenic cow (1997), Rosie produced human protein enriched milk (2.4 g/L). This milk contained the human alpha - lactalbumin and was more nutritionally balanced for human babies than neutral cow milk.

Vaccine safety :

It can be ensured by testing vaccine on transgenic mice before being used in humans, e.g. Polio vaccine. It can replace the use of monkeys to test the safety of bataches of the vaccine.

Chemical Safety Testing :

Chemical safety testing known as toxiety/safety testing can be done by using transgenic animals. It is similar to the procedure used for testing toxicity of drugs.

(1) The animals are made to carry genes, which make rhwn more sensitive to the toxic substances than non-transgenic animals.
(2) When exposed to toxic substances, their effects are studied in a short time.

Ethical issues :

Some of ethical issues regarding the applications of biotechnology are as follows

(1) Manipulation of living organisms by human race can be unethical and should not go unregulated. The genetic modification of organisms can have unpredictable results when such organisms are introduced into an ecosystem.

(2) The modification /usage of living organisms for public services (food/medicine for example) has also created problems with patents granted for the same.

(3) There is growing public concern that certain companies are being granted patents for the products and technologies that make use  of genetic materials like plant and other biological resource that have long been developed by the farmers and indegenous people of a specific region.

(4) In order to control these issues, the indian government has setup an organisation named Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), which makes decisions regarding the validity of GM research and the safety of introducing GM organisms for public services.

Biopatent:

It is the set of exclusive right granted by the government to an inventor biological entities, i.e. GM microbes, plants, animals, and products derived from them or applications of such organisms and products.

(1) Some of the controversies regarding biopatents are as follows :

(a) Rice is being used since thousands of years in Asian countries, of which 200000 varieties are in INDIA alone.

(b) Basmati rice is famous for its aroma and flavour, whose 27 varieties are cultivated in India.

(c) An American company in 1997, got patent rights for Basmati rice through the US patent and Treadmark Office and was allowed to sell a 'new' variety of Basmati in the US and abroad. So, other people selling Basmati rice could be restricted by the  patent.

(d) This new variety of Basmati was derived from Indian farmer's varieties.

(e) Indian Basnati was crossed with semi-dwarf varities andvclaimed as an invention or novelty.

(f) Besides Basmati rice, unauthorise attempts were made for patent of turmeric and neem (Indian traditional herbal medicines).

(2) If attention is not paid immediately to counter these patents applications, other countries/individuals may encash our rich legacy.

Biopracy:

It refers to the use of bioresources by multinational companies and other organizations without proper authorisation (and without any payment) from the countries and people concerned.

(1) The majority of industrialised nations are financially rich, but poor in  biodiversity and traditional knowledge, in comparison to developing and underdeveloped countries.

(2) Traditional knowledge releated to the bioresources can be exploited to devlop modern applications and to save tine, efforts and expenditure.

(3) Due to these reasons, there has been growing realusation of the injustice, inadequate compensation and benefits sharing between developed and developing countries.

(4) Some nations are developing laws to prevent such unauthorized exploration of their bioresources and traditional knowledge.

(5) The Indian Parliament has recently cleared the second ammendment of the Indian patents Bill. It takes consideration of such issues including patent terms, emergency provisions, research and development initiative.


ethical issues of transgenic animals. 

ethical issues in animal biotechnology and transgenic animals.

ethical issues in genetic engineering and transgenic animals.

ethical issues and transgenic animals images.

Images of ethical issues and transgenic animals.