Why cloning and selling meat without FDA approval is unethical - Research Paper Example

Why cloning and selling meat without FDA approval is unethical? From many past and recent studies, the FDA continues to stand behindtheir findings that the food supply from cloning methods are as safe as food produced and derived from normal methods, and will not require special labeling when being sold in the market place. Society is struggling with the issues of how much is really known about cloning, how much society really wants to know about cloning and what is there to know about cloning if there was full disclosure (Brizek et al, p.1) Cloning is a highly controversial topic in the world at present. Many people are of the view that cloning should not be conducted among living things including animals since it is against the principles of nature. They are of the view that the natural principles which sustain life on earth would be changed if cloning is accepted as an option for the betterment of life. Most of the religions are also against cloning citing ethical reasons. At the same time, there are many people who support cloning because of their belief that cloning may enhance human life further. In any case, cloning on animals is going on at present and cloned food items are available large in number in stores at present. Cloned food items such as meat, milk etc are entering the American market more rapidly at present. Lots of food products are produced out of cloned meat and milk which are used by the public unknowingly. Since the society still reserves severe concerns about the ethics and morality of conducting cloning, many people are of the view that cloned foods should not be allowed to enter the market. Consumers have still many illusions and opinions about the safety of using cloned food items because of the misleading information they received from different Medias about cloned foods. This paper analyses the morality of using selling cloned food items without the approval of FDA. One of the study conducted by FDA pointed towards the increased practices of cloning by food companies, as well as the limited public knowledge and information of the practice (Brizek et al, p.4). In other words, people are getting cloned foods from stores at present without their knowledge. No food manufacturers are putting any labels on cloned food items in order to differentiate it from other normal food items. Consumers have the right to know about the origin of the food they are purchasing. By selling cloned foods, food companies are cheating the public which is unethical. If all the consumers have no problem in using cloned foods, then there is no necessity to put labels on cloned food items. However, majority of the public have many concerns about using cloned foods and under such circumstances selling of cloned food without labels is unethical. “In January of 2008, after results of numerous studies proving the scientific safety of food and food products from cloned animals or genetically modified food crops, the FDA declared that it would not require any special labeling on such foods” (Brizek et al, p.6). Even though many of the tests conducted by FDA and other authorities with respect to the safety and security of using cloned foods revealed positive results, it should be noted that these tests cannot be 100% reliable. Most of these tests analyses the fat or acidity levels of the cloned and normal foods. Even though, some studies found slight differences in the acidity levels, all the other parameters of cloned foods and normal foods remained almost same. However, it should be note that these tests cannot predict anything about the possibility of genetic contamination among cloned foods. Cloning is a process which relies heavily on genetic engineering. The defects of genes used to make cloned foods cannot be identified easily. In other words, it is difficult to test the genetic components involved in cloned food items. According to one FDA official, although others disagree, cloned animals are more likely to have birth defects and health problems when they are young, but after 50 days these animals are as healthy as non-cloned animals. In fact, studies of cloned animals detail very low survival rates; the success rate of live, healthy animals through the cloning process is less than 5%.7 Many cloned embryos die in the uterus or shortly after birth (Cloned animals on the dinner plate?, p.1) All the above findings clearly show the problems associated with cloning. If the cloned animals have birth defects and health problems, then how can FDA or cloned food manufacturers give guarantee about the safety of using cloned foods? It is better to warn the public about the possible health hazards in using cloned foods like the warning sign put on cigarette packet. Moreover, if FDA is unsure about the genetic defects, then it is better to prohibit such foods rather than taking risks. Some studies have revealed that cloned animals have defective brain, liver, spleens, lymph nodes etc. Studies also pointed towards the fact that multiple organ failures are the major reason for the in creased death rate among cloned animals. All these things point towards the fact that cloned food items are unsafe compared to the normal food items. Cloned animals appear to be in good health conditions. However, these animals may have epigenetic defects. In other words, “certain genes may be turned “on” or “off” in the cloned animal relative to its predecessor” (Cloned animals on the dinner plate?, p.2). Epigenetic effects can act same way like how environmental problems make normal food poisonous. It is widely accepted that increased use of fertilizers, chemicals, and pesticides will make the agricultural food items poisonous. Same way cloned food items can also become poisonous or unhealthy because of the epigenetic effects. A 2003 report commissioned by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends caution: “Since cloning technology is new, prudent consideration is necessary on declaration of the safety of food from cloned cattle. In sum, a 2004 NAS report states, “Since there is no evidence that food from cloned animals poses any increased health risk to the consumer, it could be concluded that food from cloned animals should be approved for consumption. However, the paucity of evidence in the literature on this topic makes it impossible to provide scientific evidence to support this position.To date, there are only a few scientific studies that compare the meat and milk products from cloned and noncloned animals” (Cloned animals on the dinner plate?, p.2). Cloning is a complex topic since it involves complex genetic engineering mechanisms. Large number of different types of scientific studies is required to determine the safety of cloned foods. Arguing in favor of cloned foods with the help of the findings of only few studies might be suicidal when we consider the possibilities of wrong judgments or conclusions of these studies. “In October, 2003, the FDA released a draft assessment in which it claimed that no reasons to believe that the cloned food would not be safe” (Cloning and Food Safety, p.1). However, FDA never bothered much to investigate further about the safety of using cloned foods. They used the findings of a single study to arrive at conclusions. Moreover, they did not use any data available about the safety of using cloned animal meet. They have declared all the cloned food items as safe after analyzing a single study of milk from cloned animals. Such generalizations are unacceptable and unethical when we consider the importance of human life on earth. According to Andrew Kimbrell, the executive director of the Center for Food Safety, “FDA based their decision on an incomplete and flawed review that relies on studies supplied by cloning companies that want to force cloning technology on American consumers" (Gogoi). Human life is the most precious thing in this world and the destiny of human life should not be jeopardized while advocating cloned foods as safe and secure food items. “Surveys indicate that 63 percent of consumers would not buy food from cloned animals even if it were labeled as “safe’”(Food safety). In other words, the concern of the consumers about using cloned food is not entirely related to the health issues. Most of the consumers in America are religious people who believe that cloning is against the traditional beliefs of religions. In their opinion, human has no authority to modify the natural principles created by God. Moreover, many of the animal lovers are of the view that cloning on animals is unethical since it is the violation of animal rights. For them, animal life is as important as the human life. So, doing anything against the safety of animal life cannot be accepted. Kantian and utilitarian philosophies may have different opinions about using cloned foods. “Utilitarian theory defines morality in terms of the maximization of net expectable utility for all parties affected by a decision or action”(Notes on Utilitarianism). Utilitarian philosophy or ethics always make use of the utility of an action in order determine whether it is ethical or unethical. Cloning will help food manufacturers to increase their productivity and utilitarian may justify it. However, Immanuel Kant would have opposed it based on the immoral motive involved in the making of cloned food items. The universe obeys certain rules—laws to which all things must adhere. These laws are precise, and many of them are mathematical in nature. Natural laws are hierarchical in nature; secondary laws of nature are based on primary laws of nature, which have to be just right in order for our universe to be possible (God and Natural Laws) To conclude, it is unethical to advocate the safety of using cloned foods before conducting proper researches to find out the consequences. Different consumers may have different tastes and in order to respect consumer freedom in selecting foods, cloned foods should be labeled properly before sending it to the stores. Works Cited 1. Brizek, Michael G. Cameron, Nicole and Woodle, Angel. “Food Cloning, Food Cloning – Ethical Considerations for Business Organizations. Journal of Academic and Business Ethics. Web. 09 May 2011. 2. Cloned Animals on the Dinner plate?, Web. 09 May 2011. http://nwrage.org/files/nwrage/ClonedAnimals.pdf 3. “Cloning and Food Safety”. 2005. Web.09 May 2011. 4. “Food Safety”. Web. 09 May 2011. 5. Gogoi, Pallavi. “Uproar over Cloned Food? Copy That’. 2008. Web. 09 May 2011. 6. “God and Natural Laws’. Web. 09 May 2011. 7. “Notes on Utilitarianism”. Web. 09 May 2011. Read More