Animal welfare problems concerning the use of transgenic animals.

Using transgenic animals as clinical models pose certain problems since they can suffer. Yet in single cases transgenic animals can reduce the suffering of (other) animals. The permission to generate transgenic animals is not yet clearly regulated in Switzerland. The term "dignity of creature", as formulated in the Swiss Constitution, has to be defined for the Swiss animal protection law. We present the recommendations of the commission for ethical questions concerning transgenic animals appointed by the Federal Council. Partly, these recommendations shall also be applied to the traditional breeding methods. We support the nomination of a national ethics committee for transgenic animals.