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Issues and Trends in Animal Experiments
Genetic Modification Rising Rapidly
The most important single trend in animal experiments is the rapid rise in genetic modification. Indeed, the rise over most of the last few years balances the drop in numbers of conventional experiments since Labour came to power. However, the latest figures for 2007, suggest that the rise in GM is now outstripping the decrease elsewhere, as had long been predicted.
Genetic modification is in itself highly contentious. It often comes at a huge cost, with large numbers of animals sacrificed in order to establish a new line. However, there are a few important examples where GM may lead to an overall reduction in the numbers of animals used: for example in the use of bioluminescence, which has the potential of dramatically cutting the numbers of animals used in, for example, cancer research.
There is a widespread realisation that GM experiments will continue to increase for the foreseeable future. One of the major pressures will come from the human genome project: now that the genome has been mapped, scientists will want to know what individual genes actually do – and that is likely to lead to more GM mice.
