The food and Drug Administration has approved genetically engineered pigs for use in food and medical products. The pigs could be used in the production of drugs, to provide organs and tissues for transplants, and to produce meat that’s safe to eat for people with meat allergies.

Fda commissioner:’today’s first-ever approval of an animal biotechnology product for both food and as a potential source for biomedical use represents a tremendous milestone for scientific innovation’.

The pigs are called galsafe pigs because they lack a molecule called alpha-gal sugar, which can trigger allergic reactions. The FDA has determined galsafe pork products are safe for the general population to eat.

Galsafe pigs could be used to make drugs like Heparin safer for people with AGS. The pigs have n’t been tested for transplantation potential yet, so further research is required.

In 2009, the FDA approved genetically modified goats that produce a drug in their milk for preventing blood clots. The same year salmon became the first genetically modified animal to be approved for eating.