The book includes a short history of the field and provides understandable definitions of terms like cloning. Looking at technologies on the near horizon, the authors discuss what we know and what we fear about their effects—the inadvertent release of dangerous microorganisms, the safety of products derived from biotechnology, the impact of genetically engineered animals on their environment. In addition to these concerns, the book explores animal welfare concerns, and our societal and institutional capacity to manage and regulate the technology and its products. This accessible volume will be important to everyone interested in the implications of the use of animal biotechnology.
| Executive Summary | 1 | |
| 1 | Introduction | 15 |
| Overarching Concerns of the Committee | 15 | |
| The Current State of Animal Biotechnology | 15 | |
| The Origins of Biotechnology in Animal Agriculture | 18 | |
| Concerns Regarding Extant Technologies | 22 | |
| Limits of the Report | 31 | |
| 2 | Applications of Biotechnology Techniques | 34 |
| Introduction of Novel Genes | 34 | |
| Directed Genetic Manipulation | 37 | |
| Propagation by Nuclear Transfer | 39 | |
| Technical Issues With Germline Modification | 41 | |
| Concerns Related to Germline Technology | 42 | |
| Issues Related to Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Technology | 47 | |
| 3 | Animals Engineered for Human Health Purposes | 51 |
| Biopharmaceutical Production | 51 | |
| Xenotransplantation | 54 | |
| 4 | Food Safety Concerns | 61 |
| Scope and Goal | 61 | |
| Background | 62 | |
| Food Products From Non-Genetically Engineered, Cloned Animals | 63 | |
| Genetically Engineered Animals | 65 | |
| 5 | Environmental Concerns | 73 |
| General Principles of Risk Analysis | 74 | |
| Prioritizing GE Animals for Level of Environmental Concern | 76 | |
| Risks Posed by Key Classes of GE Animals | 87 | |
| Need for More Information Concerning Risk Assessment and Risk Management | 92 | |
| 6 | Animal Health and Welfare | 93 |
| Reproductive Technologies | 93 | |
| In-Vitro Culture | 94 | |
| Efficiency of Production and Number of Animals Needed | 96 | |
| Mutations | 97 | |
| Gene Expression | 98 | |
| Uniqueness of Transgenic Animals | 99 | |
| Nuclear Transfer | 100 | |
| Biomedical Applications | 102 | |
| Farming | 104 | |
| Potential Animal Welfare Benefits | 105 | |
| Costs Versus Benefits | 106 | |
| 7 | Concerns Related to Scientific Uncertainty, Policy Context, Institutional Capacity, and Social Implications | 108 |
| Scientific Uncertainty | 108 | |
| Policy Context | 111 | |
| Institutional Capacity | 112 | |
| Socioeconomic, Cultural, Religious, and Ethical Factors | 116 | |
| The Intersection of Ethics, Science, and Public Policy | 120 | |
| References | 122 | |
| Glossary | 149 | |
| App. A: Workshop Agenda | 158 | |
| App. B | Regulatory Framework for Animal Biotechnology | 161 |
| About the Authors | 166 | |
| Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications | 169 | |
| Index | 172 |
Overview
The book includes a short history of the field and...