PART IV
45. We have noted in our report those areas where we believe controls of a statutory nature are required. These fall into two main categories. Firstly, general controls on the release of cloned strains or breeds (which may or may not have been transgenically altered) into commercial agricultural practice and the way in which these animals should be cared for and monitored. We have noted the system of controls provided under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 (ASPA) in relation to proposals to develop such animals in research environments. We consider that similar controls are required to monitor and assure good welfare before cloned animals become available to commercial agriculture. If this stage is reached, considerably greater numbers of animals will be involved and unforeseen welfare problems may become apparent. In addition, welfare problems may emerge should the standards of care not be as high as in research environments. Such controls should also be able to assure the skills of the stockpeople who care for these animals and ensure that adequate breeding records are maintained.
46. The second area of controls relates to the performance of procedures involved in the production of animals by nuclear transfer. At the research stages this will be carried out under ASPA. However, if the procedure becomes part of agricultural practice, this protection will be lost and the accrued severity to individual animals may be too great. Whilst many of the procedures will class as "acts of veterinary surgery" under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, this may not be adequate to monitor "accrued severity" over the lifetime of an animal. We therefore advocate a system of control, possibly similar to that applicable to bovine embryo transfer (Bovine Embryo (Collection, Production and Transfer) Regulations 1995), which assures the procedures are carried out either by veterinarians, or by adequately trained technicians under veterinary supervision. We believe that experience of strengths and weaknesses in the application of the ET regulations should be considered in drafting such regulations for cloning.
47. Before cloning is permitted in commercial
agricultural practice, legislative controls must be introduced.
These must include:
a) regulations to give protection to cloned farmed livestock
similar to that enjoyed by research animals, at least until the
effects of the cloning and any associated genetic manipulation
have been scientifically evaluated in the environment of
commercial agricultural practice
b) regulations to ensure the procedure is carried out under
direct veterinary supervision by adequately trained personnel.
48. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons should be consulted to explore the feasibility of any of the procedures involved in cloning by nuclear transfer which are "acts of veterinary surgery" being suitable for delegation to a trained lay operator who has attended an appropriate course and has been assessed for competency.