Welfare Aspects of Transgenic Animals

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. Scientific Applications of Transgenic Mouse Models

   • J. S. Verbeek

   Pages 1-17

3. Introduction of Defined Mutations into the Mouse Germline

   • W. Müller

   Pages 18-25

4. Growth Hormone Overproduction in Transgenic Mice: Phenotypic Alterations and Deduced Animal Models

   • E. Wolf, R. Wanke

   Pages 26-47

5. Prospectives of Transgenic Animals for the Pharmaceutical Indudstry

   • K. Bürki

   Pages 48-57

6. Assessing the Welfare of Transgenic Animals

   • D. M. Broom

   Pages 58-67

7. Production of Transgenic Animals: Practical Problems and Welfare Aspects

   • P. Costa

   Pages 68-77

8. Use of Transgenic Animals and Welfare Implications

   • M. van der Meer, L. F. M. van Zutphen

   Pages 78-89

9. Transgenic Animals: The Need for Ethical Dialogue

   • P. Sandøe, B. Forsman, A. K. Hansen

   Pages 90-101

10. Legislation on Transgenic Animals in Europe

    • P. de Greeve, W. A. de Leeuw

    Pages 102-112

11. The Utrecht Workshop on Welfare Aspects of Transgenic Animals

    • T. Poole

    Pages 113-115

12. Back Matter

    Pages 116-121

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v Preface The quality of animal models used in biomedical research has increased substantially since the first successful microinjection of foreign DNA frag­ ments into a mouse zygote in the early 1980s. New well-defined animal models, developed either by micro injection techniques or by homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells, have become widely available and several classical animal models have now been replaced by these transgenic models. Transgenic animals also fulfill increasingly important roles in other fields, like livestock production or in biopharming. The potential benefits of this technology are overwhelming. It is not surprising that many research groups have rushed to jump on this wagon of scientific progress. However, no matter how important these developments are, they can not relieve us of the moral obligations towards the animals. It is generally recognized that animal use is allowed only if the harmful effects are out­ weighed by the potential benefits of the experimental results. But what are the harmful effects? What is the impact of trans genesis on the well-being of animals? In order to gain more insight into this aspect of trans genesis the European Commission (DGXII) has funded a 12-month project with the aim of col­ lecting information on the production and use of transgenic animals in EU Member States and, more specifically, to obtain information as to what extent specific welfare problems may arise and whether or not studies are being performed on the incidence of welfare problems.

• animal model
• ethics
• mutation
• research
• transgenesis
• transgenic techniques
• veterinary science

• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

  L. F. M. Zutphen, M. Meer

Policies and ethics