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Safety of Cloned Animals
The FDA has reviewed scientific literature relating to cloning research extending over six years which has culminated in an extensive draft risk assessment which forms the basis of the decision. In accordance with US laws of procedure, the FDA has allowed a 90-day comment period for both negative and positive responses before the policy is finalized. The FDA decision may be challenged in Congress, based on opposition from consumer advocacy groups who will lobby legislators.
It is possible that food derived from cloned animals may have to be labelled to provide consumers with the opportunity to either accept or reject individual products. Problems would however arise with processed items such as milk or ground meat where admixture will occur in the system of manufacture and distribution of food.
Opponents of cloning have not been able to cite any specific scientific reason why food derived from cloned animals is less safe than from animals subjected to conventional breeding. Most of the opposition is based on entrenched principles against innovative biotechnology and intensive animal production and fear that cloning of animals might lead to extension to humans.
The New York Times quotes the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology Survey which showed that 64% of consumers were "uncomfortable" and with 46% disapproving of the introduction of products from cloned animals on supermarket shelves.
Genetic engineering offers considerable advantages to producers in terms of efficiency. Unfortunately the proponents of technology have ignored consumers and have failed to either demonstrate or publicize advantages in improved quality, safety or reduced cost. The multinationals responsible for introducing genetically modified seeds during the early 1990’s failed to recognize that the ultimate customer for their products was not the farmer but the consumer. Obtaining an approval on scientific merits from a regulatory agency does not necessarily guarantee acceptance by the public, especially when there is a well funded and active opposition lobby which distorts facts and denies scientific principles.
By: Simon Shane
- Author: Guest Bloggers
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Comments ( 4 )
Opposition to cloning includes ethical objections to causing unnecessary animal suffering, of which there is substantial science showing that to be the case. See, for example: http://tinyurl.com/y5wyxd Regarding consumer safety, as Joseph Mendelson with the Center for Food Safety has astutely noted: "While the FDA says no one has proved there is any danger from clones, the burden should be on the FDA to prove convincingly that they are safe." Consumers are not clamoring for the products of cloning, and polls have shown they are overwhelmingly opposed to them. At the very least, such products should be clearly labeled. There's no valid justification for not doing so.
Simon your points are very sound living in The Americas and The Western World. But, Cloning is also being done in China and some of the other Eastern countries. America has 300 million consumers reading the labels. China has 1.5 Billion consumers seeking to get a stomach full. Any surplus goes to Export to continue to get hard currency. Have you noticed all the products in the USA with Made in China reciently?
