Genetic modification

• New medical products have been produced by genetically modifying bacteria. Insulin for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes is produced by cultivating genetically modified bacteria.
• Sheep and goats have been genetically modified to produce chemicals in their milk that can be used to treat disease. In one example the milk produced contains a protein needed to treat patients with cystic fibrosis.
• Research is also exploring the possibility of providing tissues needed for transplants from animals that have been genetically modified so that the tissues are not rejected by the human immune system.