FDA Ruling Could Boost Texas Biotech Firm
"At one time, cloning was like a scientific freak show, but now it's just another artificial reproductive technology we can use," says Don Coover, a Kansas veterinarian who raises animals for breeders and heads a firm that distributes bull semen. "There's no question this is technology whose time has come."
Consumers' doubts about cloning
Convincing breeders to get onboard with cloning is one thing. Persuading consumers is an entirely different beast. Even the term cloning "sounds freaky and crazy, like animals are jumping out of an incubator," says Polejaeva. Most consumers initially have negative reactions when asked about cloning, even though it turns out they don't know much about the process and its potential impact on the food supply, according to a Food Policy Institute survey of 17 opinion polls on the topic. With consumer opinion on cloning still mixed, the FDA assessment is crucial in allaying fears about the process, the institute says.
The FDA ruling won't change the minds of cloning opponents. The Center for Food Safety had already filed a petition with the FDA in October to halt cloning, saying it boosts deformities in animals and is a form of cruelty. It also questions the FDA's assertion that there's no need to label food to show that it comes from cloned offspring.
Walton says ViaGen will spend the next couple of years trying to convince consumers and breeders that cloning is safe. "I'd be kidding you if I said that [breeders] were lined up at the door," he says. "That's the nature of a new business. There are far more questions than answers."
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