Human-gene cow research tipped for Government approval

By ANNE BESTON

A Crown science institute is expected to get the go-ahead today for controversial research involving insertion of human, mouse, deer and goat genes into cows.

The Herald understands the Government's gene science watchdog, the Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma), has given Hamilton-based AgResearch approval to carry out the work.

The two broad objectives of the application are to develop "transgenic" cattle that carry therapeutic proteins in their milk and to develop transgenic cattle to study gene function and genetic performance, AgResearch says.

It is not yet known what restrictions Erma has placed on the experiments under the GM-regulating Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act.

The application for the work sparked controversy when it was lodged. Anti-GM groups say it significantly widens the scope of what scientists can do in the laboratory without close scrutiny by Erma.

That's because AgResearch declined to detail exactly what genetically modified organisms might be produced. Instead, it asked for the freedom to create calf embryos genetically modified with a wide range of mammal genes including human, goat, deer, mouse and sheep and get approval along the way from the institute's internal bio-safety committee.

Up to now, researchers have had to submit lists, sometimes running into the thousands, of exactly what new organisms are expected to result from such work.

GE-Free New Zealand spokesman Jon Carapiet said the approval jeopardised New Zealand's long-term agricultural future.

"We know that mad-cow disease is caused by deformed or misshapen proteins and that's what this work is about - producing new proteins in mammary glands."

AgResearch has been at the forefront of controversial "pharming" work, the process whereby animals are genetically modified to produce different proteins in their milk.

A handful of calves modified with human genes are already living in secure containment at the institute's Ruakura campus. That experiment was promoted as a possible cure for multiple sclerosis.

But this application is seen by anti-GM groups as a bid to get "blanket" approval to study animals genetically modified or transgenic animals rather than producing a particular protein for future medical purposes.

Possible changes to HSNO, released for debate last week, could also ease AgResearch's cow research programme.

A "conditional release" category, not possible under the law as it stands, would mean the animals could be kept in farm-like conditions and herd numbers markedly increased.

The controls imposed by Erma on this work will be crucial to how much the decision to let it go ahead is seen as pushing the boundaries of the GM debate. Erma may impose tougher restrictions than AgResearch scientists had hoped.

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