The molecular methods used in DNA vaccination and gene therapy resemble in many ways the methods applied in genetic modification of organisms. In some regulatory regimes, this creates an overlap between 'gene medication' and genetic modification. In Norway, an animal injected with plasmid DNA, in the form of DNA vaccine or gene therapy, currently is viewed as being genetically modified for as long as the added DNA is present in the animal. However, regulating a DNA-vaccinated animal as genetically modified creates both regulatory and practical challenges. It is also counter-intuitive to many biologists. Since immune responses can be elicited also to alter traits, the borderline between vaccination and the modification of properties is no longer distinct. In this paper, we discuss the background for the Norwegian interpretation and ways in which the regulatory challenge can be handled.