Dairy Cows + Human Genes = Crazy Delicious

Not long ago during the presidents historic state of the union address, he touched on some real hot button issues. Of which he is an apparent expert. "Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research: human cloning in all its forms, creating or implanting embryos for experiments, creating human-animal hybrids, and buying, selling, or patenting human embryos." I'll leave the real controversial stuff; cloning, embryos, patents, etc. and his follow up comments about life being a gift from the creator, for a more serious post.

Now, let's get back to those "Human animal hybrids". W. is too late. They are already among us! Such fearsome beasts as THIS. A herd of genetically modified cattle enhanced with human genetics to produce the beneficial compound lactoferrin in their milk. Thats right, these inhuman monsters are regular cows in every other way except that their milk has a very healthy positive additive. The same chemical produced by nursing mothers with newborn babies. Simply diabolical. Pharming , a dutch biotech company, has already put their naturally occurring chemical through a massive dose rat safety test, wth no negative results. They have put the ball in the FDA's court now, in asking that the lactoferrin heavy milk be "generally recognized as safe". It remains to be seen whether the FDA will tow the party line of foot dragging on GM products of any kind, or whether they will animal-man up, and give Pharming the right to distribute new healthy forms of yogurt, ice cream, and other dairy products.

And what about all of those other transgenic animals, mice bred to grow replacement ears for the disfigured. Pigs bred to produce insulin growth factor, or to grow fully human organs for those in need of transplants. Goats that supply a powerful anticoagulant in their milk. A myriad of mice that help us research and treat disease. And I haven't even touched on the plant human hybrids, like lactoferrin heavy rice. We are already amidst a managery of so called chimeras. And the results thus far are very much in mankind's favor.

There is no need to draft a government policy outlawing beneficial science, just because it's "Icky". I know that the phrase "animal human hybrid" conjures up images of Kilmer and Brando fighting man-bulls. But alarmist fear mongering of an old sci-fi novel shouldn't dictate policy. And if it does, it should be 1984 we're legislating against, not Dr. Moreau.

Dear Pharming, I'll take a large lactoferrin chocolate milkshake to go. And just for fun, put a picture of a minotaur on the cup.


"Dont have a cow man!" - Bart Simpson