Dr. William Gartland 
Page four 
Another area of research Involving transfer of genes Into 
mammals that could lead to beneficial results Involves the genetic 
manipulation of farm animals. There are two major categories of 
Ideas that are being considered. One Involves Introducing genes 
Into farm animals that would confer upon them desirable traits, e.g. 
Increased growth, milk production or resistance to disease. The 
other Involves Introducing genes that code for proteins of medical 
value. The Idea Is that one could harvest the protein of Interest 
from the blood or milk of these animals just as one would do from a 
bacterial or yeast culture. The Idea warrants consideration because 
there are a number of valuable gene products (e.g. certain blood 
clotting factors) that are functional only after special 
modifications which only occur In mammalian cells. 
Perhaps a primary concern of Rlfkln and others Is the 
possibility of gene transfer Into the human germllne. Although a 
few Individuals envisage such experiments, scientists currently 
working In the field view this as undesirable for both practical and 
ethical reasons. Statements to this effect have appeared (Hammer, 
Palmlter and Brlnster, 1984, Nature 311:65-67) or will appear soon 
(Anderson, 1984, Science, In press). There are a number of areas of 
scientific Investigation that are deemed Inappropriate for human 
subjects, e.g. certain experiments on human embryos, yet these 
mandates do not apply to other species because there Is great 
Intellectual, medical, and In some cases economic value In pursuing 
these areas. If this Is the primary concern, then It should be 
phrased that way. There already exist sufficient safeguards to 
prevent experiments Involving transfer of genes Into human eggs, so 
this proposal would be redundant If It were limited to human 
experimentation. 
Another Important point concerns the distinction between wild 
and domestic populations of animals. The experiments In question 
Involve transfer of genes Into domestic animals only. These animals 
have been genetically manipulated by man for hundreds, or In some 
cases thousands, of years and many of these breeds are now totally 
dependent upon man for survival. Although they are formally the 
same species as their wild counterpart (by definition of breeding), 
they clearly have a special place In man's economy and environment. 
Thus, the "Integrity" of the wild animal populations Is not being 
violated by the experiments conducted to date or proposed . Indeed, 
It seems prudent to protect wild animals as much as possible from 
man's Interference. 
Rlfkln' s proposals are directed at gene transfer amoung 
mammalian species; however. It would be difficult to defend the 
arbitrary limitation to mammals. Why allow gene transfer Into fish, 
frogs and flies but not Into mice? Is the "telos" of the former 
animals Inferior to that of mice? 
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