Health Canada Proposes Permitting SCNT Cloned Animal Products

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Health Canada Proposes to Regulate Cloned Animal Products in the Same Manner as Traditional Animal Products

by: Food and Drug Law at Keller and Heckman of Keller and Heckman LLP - The Daily Intake

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

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Health Canada is proposing to permit the sale of foods derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) cloned cattle and swine and their offspring without pre-market notification (other species such as goats, sheep, etc., will continue to be subject to mandatory pre-market safety assessment). Currently, SCNT animal clones and their offspring are considered novel foods and are subject to pre-manufacture and import assessment requirements under the New Substances Notification Regulations (Organisms).
SCNT is a reproductive animal cloning technique that involves replacing the nucleus of an unfertilized egg cell with the nucleus of a somatic cell from another animal to form an embryo. The embryo is transferred to a surrogate to develop until birth, and the animal will have the same genetic makeup as the genetic donor animal. The technique is used to create copies of animals with desirable traits, such as disease resistance and meat or milk quality.
Health Canada created an interim policy on SCNT clones in 2003 when the technology was still in the research and development stage. Since then, Health Canada has worked with other agencies to evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the safety of SCNT cattle and swine clones, resulting in the development of the Scientific Opinion on the Impact of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) Cloning of Cattle and Swine on Food and Feed Safety, Animal Health and the Environment (2023). The scientific opinion concluded that food from SCNT clones and their offspring is as safe as food from traditionally bred animals. Therefore, Health Canada determined these foods should be regulated in the same manner as those from traditionally bred animals.
Recently, Health Canada accepted comments on the revised policy proposal, and the Agency will consider all science-based comments received before publishing a final report, which is expected in Fall of 2024.