This document discusses ethical issues relating to transgenic animals. It begins by defining transgenesis as the addition of DNA from one organism to another, resulting in creatures that blur species lines. It then discusses various methods for producing transgenic animals, both natural and artificial. It explores applications of transgenic animals like protein production but also problems with low efficiency and health issues in the animals. The document raises ethical concerns about modifying animal genetics without knowing effects, treating animals as commodities, and creating diseased animals. It examines both religious views for and against genetic engineering of animals. Finally, it outlines principles from the 1995 Banner Report regarding the justification and minimization of animal harm in research.

1. Ethical Issues Relating To
Transgenic Animals
Sakeena Gillani
Mphil Leading to PhD. Microbiology

2. Transgenesis
 Addition of extraneous DNA/gene from one
organism into the genome of another
organism
 Result of transgenesis are creatures that
blur the barrier between species.

3. Natural V/S Artificial
 DNA Microinjection
 Use of Transposons
 Use of Lentiviral Vectors
 Stem cells transgenesis
 Transgenic animals
can be produced
through any method:
 Natural
 Artificial Means
 Transformation in microbes
(bacteria, yeast)
 Transformation in plants (by
agrobacterium tumerfacians)
 Transfection in animals by
oncogenic viruses

4. Production Of Transgenic
Animals
 Introduction of a desired property
 Fast generation of animal lines carrying
the desired property
 breeding/reproduction studies , IVF
 Animal model for human
diseases for test therapies

5. Applications
 Production of recombinant proteins
 Antibody production
 Production of organs for transplant
 Elucidation of the role of genes
 Surgical techniques
 Cancer models
 Models for infection

6. Problems
Associated
With
Production Of
Transgenics
•efficiency - in mice
is only 10-25% in
terms of DNA
incorporation, in
cattle, sheep and
goats is 1-5%
•insertional
mutagenesis kills
some of the pups

7.  Some of the transgenic pups are infertile
 They may not be of the right sex for the
purpose e.g. Milk production
 The time and effort involved are huge
 In larger animals the gestation times are long
and offsprings are not sexually mature for a
year

8. Contt.
 if 1/100 sheep born are transgenic the rest
will be slaughtered and the carcasses burnt
 larger animals only
produce 1 or 2
offspring
 viruses/bacteria etc

9. Ethical Issues Of Transgenic
Animals
 Are animals that combine species an
unethical alteration of the natural order of the
universe?
 Is it unethical to modify an animal's genetic
make-up for a specific purpose, without
knowing in advance if there will be any side-effects
that will cause suffering to the
animal?
 Does 'creating' animals by genetic
engineering amount to treat the animals
entirely as commodities

10. Contt.
 Is it unethical to create 'diseased'
animals that are very likely to suffer?
 Suffering may last for a long time in
these animals as researchers want to
conduct long-term investigations into the
development of diseases

11. Religious Views Of Transgenic
Animals
 Against transgenic
animals
 God laid down the
structure of creation and
any tampering with it is
sinful.
 Manipulating DNA is
manipulating 'life itself' -
and this is tampering
with something that God
did not intend humanity
to meddle with.
 In favour of
transgenic animals
 As human beings have
been given 'dominion'
over the animals, they
are entitled to tamper
with them.
 Palaeontology shows
that the structure of
creation has changed
over time as some
species became extinct
and new ones came into
being.

12. The Banner Report-1995
 3 principles for animal use
 "Harm of a certain degree and kind ought under no
circumstances to be inflicted on an animal.
 Any harm to an animal, even if not absolutely
impermissible, nonetheless requires justification and must
be outweighed by the good which is realistically sought.
 Any harm which is justified by
the second principle ought,
however, to be minimised
as far as is reasonably possible."

13. Using these principles, the Banner Report
divided the use of animals into 3 categories
 Uses which are generally
acceptable within the
requirement for
minimisation of harm
 Uses which are justified
only in particular
circumstances where
substantial good is
expected
 Uses which don’t attack
the true nature of the
animal
Techniques such as
embryo transfer, that
can be used in the
development of
transgenic animals.
The use of animals for
xenotransplantation
Increased meat
production in pigs,
increased milk
production in cows