FDA Proposes Rules for Genetically Engineered Animals

Genetically engineered pigs, cows, and fish moved closer to the marketplace, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued draft rules for their approval. The regulations, which are similar to the agency’s drug-approval process, would require companies to prove that a modified animal is healthy and that products derived from it are safe. In animals grown for food, potential benefits of genetic engineering range from faster growth to disease resistance to added nutrients. Other animals could be engineered to produce drugs. But animals are not drugs and shouldn’t be treated that way, said a policy analyst at the nonprofit Center for Food Safety in Washington: “Drugs don’t go out and breed with each other. When a drug gets loose, you figure you can control it. When a bull gets loose, it would be harder to corral.” Critics also said the guidelines allow industry to shield too much information from the public.