Pros And Cons Of Genetic Engineering Of Animals
Genetic engineering of animals
So far as the organisms themselves are concerned, it is only when GE is considered in the context of sentient beings -- animals and humans -- that the real ethical deliberations begin.
Pros|Cons|
GE, combined with cloning, can be applied to animals to make valuable pharmaceuticals which cannot be made in other ways. This is particularly useful for human proteins, which are produced in animal milk and used in 'replacement' and other therapies (e.g. lactoferrin in cows for treating septicaemia; alpha-1-antitrypsin in sheep for treating emphysema; factor IX in sheep for treating blood clotting disorders). Transgenic adult animals produced by this method show normal health and behavior. |Dozens, possibly many hundreds of sheep are mutilated and killed for these experiments. The lambs born are often excessively large or deformed and those that are not stillborn die when young. Research funds could be devoted towards finding ways of making the much needed protein pharmaceuticals in microorganisms. Because of the extra protein that has to be produced in the animals that have to be kept lactating optimally they are under constant metabolic stress. In order to minimize contamination from normal pathogens such as …show more content…
the horse. Aren't human lives of higher moral value than animal lives? GE of animals is strictly controlled by the cruelty to animals’ legislation of the country concerned and experimental protocols are carefully scrutinised by teams of experts.|GE instrumentalizes animals. Many countries have a 'yes, but' approach to permitting animal experimentation. Better control of experiments which cause suffering to animals would be achievable with the Dutch model of 'no, unless'. Instrumentalizing animals means that they must first be objectified. Many scientists report emotional difficulties with what they have to do to animals. This shows that their objectification is
So far as the organisms themselves are concerned, it is only when GE is considered in the context of sentient beings -- animals and humans -- that the real ethical deliberations begin.
Pros|Cons|
GE, combined with cloning, can be applied to animals to make valuable pharmaceuticals which cannot be made in other ways. This is particularly useful for human proteins, which are produced in animal milk and used in 'replacement' and other therapies (e.g. lactoferrin in cows for treating septicaemia; alpha-1-antitrypsin in sheep for treating emphysema; factor IX in sheep for treating blood clotting disorders). Transgenic adult animals produced by this method show normal health and behavior. |Dozens, possibly many hundreds of sheep are mutilated and killed for these experiments. The lambs born are often excessively large or deformed and those that are not stillborn die when young. Research funds could be devoted towards finding ways of making the much needed protein pharmaceuticals in microorganisms. Because of the extra protein that has to be produced in the animals that have to be kept lactating optimally they are under constant metabolic stress. In order to minimize contamination from normal pathogens such as …show more content…
the horse. Aren't human lives of higher moral value than animal lives? GE of animals is strictly controlled by the cruelty to animals’ legislation of the country concerned and experimental protocols are carefully scrutinised by teams of experts.|GE instrumentalizes animals. Many countries have a 'yes, but' approach to permitting animal experimentation. Better control of experiments which cause suffering to animals would be achievable with the Dutch model of 'no, unless'. Instrumentalizing animals means that they must first be objectified. Many scientists report emotional difficulties with what they have to do to animals. This shows that their objectification is