Genetically Engineered Animals and Public Health: Compelling Benefits for Health Care, Nutrition, the Environment, and Animal Welfare

Genetically engineered animals embody an innovative technology that is transforming public health through biomedical, food and environmental applications. They are integral to the development of new diagnostic techniques and drugs for human disease while delivering clinical and economic benefits that cannot be achieved with any other approach. They promise significant benefits in human health and food security by enabling dietary improvements through more nutritious and healthy meat and milk.Genetically engineered animals also offer significant human health and environmental benefits with livestock which are more efficient at converting feed to animal protein, and reducing waste production. Finally, genetic engineering will improve the welfare of the animal by imparting resistance to disease and enhancing overall health and well being.These numerous benefits will be realized only when we resolve policy obstacles that are limiting investment in research and holding back product development.