Cloned food labeling: history, issues, and bill S. 414

Abstract

Purpose

The issue of cloned food labeling came to the forefront on January 15, 2008, with the release of a controversial report by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This paper aims to explore issues surrounding cloned food sources, specifically the increasingly vocal demands by the American public for mandatory labeling.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews literature to examine the culture and structure of the FDA over the past ten years. Ethical, economic and public health concerns surrounding cloned food sources are also examined. Comparisons are made to the shared history of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Political process and implementation of the Cloned Food Labeling Act (S. 414) are explored.

Findings

The FDA faces legal and cultural pressure to speed medications to market. The processes created by this struggle also affect the regulation of agriculture; this can be seen in the similar histories of GMOs and cloned food. Ethical issues surrounding cloned food labeling include animal welfare and the usurpation of the creator's role. Other ethical issues are entwined in health and economic concerns. Health issues include the capacity of the FDA to track allergic reactions and the possibility of future protein abnormalities among consumers. Environmental and herd health are identified as more global health concerns.

Practical implications

The combined economics of the biotech cloning and agricultural industries invert the usual law of supply and demand. This economic dynamic may either hurt small farmers or potentially benefit those who eschew cloning due to ethical or financial constraints. The current political climate exerts an interesting dynamic on the cloned food labeling debate. Consumer issues are pushed aside in the excitement of a new administration and more pressing issues such as the recessed economy. Biotech industries have the ability to maintain focus in the midst of distracting national issues; however, legislative opponents may have newfound strength with a majority congress.

Originality/value

Functioning as an historical overview and theoretical framework for those studying cloned food safety and labeling issues, this paper is useful in engendering ethical discussions. It also highlights the need for statistical and public health research on cloned food safety.

Citation

Feight, J. and Zuraikat, N. (2009), "Cloned food labeling: history, issues, and bill S. 414", International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 149-163. https://doi.org/10.1108/17506120910971722