WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealand gave the go
ahead Tuesday to begin experiments that involve inserting human
genes into cattle to produce proteins that could be used to
treat medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
A committee of the Environmental Risk Management Authority
(ERMA), which controls the introduction of new plants, animals
and genetically modified organisms into New Zealand, approved
the plan despite receiving only seven of 850 submissions
supporting the proposal.
The authority placed restrictions on the experiment -- the
first in New Zealand to involve genetic modification outside a
laboratory -- including electronic animal tagging and a
complete ban on any cow leaving the secured site. Under the
approved plan, a state research institute, AgResearch Ltd.,
plans to insert genes from goats, pigs, sheep, mice and humans
into the cattle, with the resulting genetically modified
embryos transferred into normal cows to create 'transgenic
calves.'
"You do the research because you don't know the answers.
Although some of the uncertainties of the research may be
related to the risks, likewise some of those uncertainties may
be related to the benefits," ERMA Chief Executive Basil Walker
said.
If successful, the research could advance work to prevent
or minimize multiple sclerosis, a chronic, potentially
debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system,
the AgResearch scientists said.
Anti-GMO lobby group GE Free New Zealand attacked the
decision saying said the risks of genetically modified
organisms getting into the food chain or crossing into other
species was too great.
Genetic modification is a controversial issue in New
Zealand where the economy is heavily dependent on agricultural
produce and markets itself as having a green, pristine
environment.
The recently re-elected, Labor-led coalition government
plans to lift a ban on the commercial release of genetically
modified organisms next year, a stand that caused the
environmentalist Green Party to refuse to join Labor in power.