Hi Philomena have you heard of the word pharming? Philip

Of course I have heard of farming are you having a laugh?

Well what is it? I cant believe you are asking me this – growing crops and having cows and sheep.

Ah ha not that farming with an ‘f’ but pharming with a ‘ph’ like in Philip and Philomena. Well what is it Is that something to do with the internet?

That is what I thought so I looked it up; pharming ‘directing internet users to a bogus website that looks like a real one, to obtain personal information such as passwords, account numbers, etc.’

Well there you go. I have an uncle who says he works in the pharma industry and he sells medicines so I wondered if it is something to do with that.

Yes – like a pharmacy where you buy medicines . So did you check to see that it only has one meaning?

Yes I did and then I got this; pharming ‘Using genetically modified plants and animals to produce substances which may be used as pharmaceuticals’. Sounds interesting but I don’t really get it.   K

OK Philip I do not know what all that means but I will try to find out more and get back to you.

OK – what have you learnt? It sounds pretty cool but are you ready for a lecture Philly style!

I am going to give you an example: In Scotland we had sheep which produced human proteins in their milk! The human protein (AAT) is important to treat people who suffer from conditions like cystic fibrosis and emphysema. It is not possible to make this protein in the usual way so it can be made in a sheep.

What happens is that the human DNA which makes the AAT is isolated. It is then injected into the fertilised egg from a sheep. When that sheep is an adult it produces the AAT human protein in its milk. So that is PHARMING – a combination of farming and pharmaceuticals.

Thanks Philomena that is interesting and strange – a bit like you!

Further information can be found at: http://www.sserc.org.uk/index.php/biology-2/biology-resources/biology-national-4149/n4-cell-biology/3375-controversial-biological-procedures (this link will take you to a SSERC resource which explores some of the ethical issues associated with GM foods. It also provides some background information about genetic modification) http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/archive/pharming/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/milking-them-for-all-theyre-worth-1361499.html http://www.beep.ac.uk/content/456.0.html http://www.stoptheclot.org/news/article152.htm http://www.pharming.com/index.php?act=tech