These chickens have a human gene that enables them to lay eggs containing useful drugs
whow. just whow.
The GM chickens that lay eggs with anti-cancer drugs
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46993649
By Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News
28 January 2019
Image copyright Norrie Russell, The Roslin Institute
Image caption These chickens have a human gene that enables them to lay eggs containing useful drugs
Researchers have genetically modified chickens that can lay eggs that contain drugs for arthritis and some cancers.
The drugs are 100 times cheaper to produce when laid than when manufactured in factories.
The researchers believe that in time production can be scaled up to produce medicines in commercial quantities.
The chickens do not suffer and are "pampered" compared to farm animals, according to Dr Lissa Herron, of Roslin Technologies in Edinburgh.
"They live in very large pens. They are fed and watered and looked after on a daily basis by highly trained technicians, and live quite a comfortable life.
"As far as the chicken knows, it's just laying a normal egg. It doesn't affect its health in any way, it's just chugging away, laying eggs as normal."
Scientists have previously shown that genetically modified goats, rabbits and chickens can be used to produce protein therapies in their milk or eggs. The researchers say their new approach is more efficient, produces better yields and is more cost-effective than these previous attempts.
"Production from chickens can cost anywhere from 10 to 100 times less than the factories. So hopefully we'll be looking at at least 10 times lower overall manufacturing cost" said Dr Herron.
Image copyright Norrie Russell, The Roslin Institute
Image caption Battery "pharming": these eggs contain drugs produced at a tenth of the cost of normal production in laboratories
The biggest saving comes from the fact that chicken sheds are far cheaper to build and run than highly sterile clean rooms for factory production.
Many diseases are caused because the body does not naturally produce enough of a certain chemical or protein. Such diseases can be controlled with drugs that contain the deficient protein. These drugs are synthetically produced by pharmaceutical companies and can be very expensive to manufacture............................
underpants
(182,843 posts)I'll just see what the comments are.
ret5hd
(20,501 posts)Harker
(14,027 posts)Hubris.
NickB79
(19,257 posts)And beyond human health, it also has animal health potential:
"These include drugs which boost the immune systems of farm animals as an alternative to antibiotics, which would reduce the risk of the development of new strains of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. And there is the potential to use the healing properties of macrophage-CSF to treat pets, according to Dr Herron.
"For example, we could use it in regenerating the liver or the kidneys of a pet that has suffered damage to these organs. The drugs currently available are a bit too pricey so we hope that we might be able to get into that a little more," she explained."
Technically, chickens themselves are a product of human manipulation. The iconic chubby brown farm chicken is far removed from the wild jungle fowl of Asian forests.
Chickens are not a naturally occurring species to begin with.
Harker
(14,027 posts)I don't question that many could benefit from this arrangement.
It's not like Auntie going out to the coop for a couple eggs for breakfast. Concentrating other living beings in often inhumane conditions for human betterment, or the perception thereof, troubles and saddens me.
I hadn't thought of chickens as the product of past manipulation, but don't see that as justification for a continuance of that manipulation. To other living beings I offer respect and kindness.
I'm sure there are unsuspected (by me, anyhow) animal products directly or indirectly involved in products and services I use, but I do try to peaceably avoid them whenever I can.
Delmette2.0
(4,167 posts)Will the chickens will have to raised close to the patients?
How will they monitor each egg for proper dosage?
NickB79
(19,257 posts)You don't just eat the eggs for treatment.