ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments

1998, VOLUME 1

Transgenic Animals and the Concept of the 3R

Franz P. Gruber

FFVFF, CH-Zürich

SUMMARY

There are positive examples of transgenic animals where transgenic technology has allowed the use of less animals to answer a specific research question. On the other hand, it requires large numbers of animals to produce transgenic strains. There also remains the question, when these animals show clinical signs of disease, if they suffer more or less than their "pretransgenic" counterparts. To what extent transgenic animals further the cause of the 3Rs must be evaluated on an individual basis.

Keywords: transgenic animals; 3R concept; suffering; animal numbers