Transgenic Animals Conference
and the Danish Board of Technology

The following information, summarizing the results of a 1992 consensus conference, is from the web site of the Danish Board of Technology.

Technological animals (1992)

In cooperation with the parliamentary Research Committee, the Danish Board of Technology
conducted a consensus conference on technological animals in September.

Technological animals are being produced by means of techniques that interfere with the gametes or the immature fetus to alter the gene pool. The technique includes genetic modification. The animals may serve, for example, in farming and fisheries as production animals as well as in the
pharmaceutical industry to produce medicine and as laboratory animals.

The conference set out to assess questions of ethical, health-related, economic and environmental
natures, to disseminate interest and knowledge about technological animals and to promote the
public debate.

As to the political sphere, the conference provided input for a bill on the labelling of food
manufactured from genetically-modified animals, for discussion on patenting, farmers privilege and biological diversity.

Stipulations must be set up for the labelling of foods manufactured by means of technological
animals.

Some may fear that if we turn animals into things, we take a step towards turning people into
things as well.

It is ethically defensible to manufacture technological animals if the purpose is to combat
severe human diseases. Conversely, it is not ethically defensible if the purpose is to have the
animals yield more or to endure more efficient production conditions.

From the panel of laymens final document.

Consensus Conference on Technological Animals. Final document. Conclusions of the question panel at the consensus conference on technological animals (i.e. animals produced by changes in gametes of higher animals via genetic modification, cloning or hybridisation) held on 22-25 September 1992.