"Despite the fact that cloned animals suffer high mortality rates and those who survive are often plagued with birth defects and diseases, the FDA did not give adequate consideration to the welfare of these animals or their surrogate mothers in its deliberations," said Wayne Pacelle, The HSUS' president and CEO. "Furthermore, no regulations exist in the United States that protect farm animals during cloning research."

In December 2007, both the House and Senate passed legislation responding to consumer concerns about the FDA's impending approval of these products. The House and Senate approved language -- signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (PL 110-1610) that strongly encourages the FDA to complete a study with the USDA and maintain the voluntary moratorium on meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring.

The Senate also approved a provision in December as part of its Farm Bill (HR 2419), introduced by Sens. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., requiring additional studies by both the USDA and the National Academy of Sciences before the FDA can issue a final decision.

A review of recent cloning research studies reveals that many of the animals involved suffered from a wide variety of maladies. High failure rates, including stillbirths and premature deaths, occur on a regular basis, and such abnormalities as intestinal blockages; diabetes; shortened tendons; deformed feet; weakened immune systems; dysfunctional hearts, brains, livers, and kidneys; respiratory distress and circulatory problems are all too common.

A 2005 review of cloning procedures in cattle found that only about 6 percent of all cloned embryos transferred into recipient cows survived, confirming that the process remained highly inefficient. Many surrogate mothers used in farm animal cloning research also suffer from reduced welfare from fetal overgrowth, repeated surgeries and injections, and pregnancy complications that have resulted in death.

In June 2005, an FDA representative said that cloned animals were more likely to suffer birth defects and health problems. Following the FDA's release of its draft risk assessment on animal cloning one year ago, the agency received about 150,000 comments strongly opposing the agency's preliminary approval of meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring.

To read the complete story from the HSUS, click here.

Click to read what the USDA and the FDA have to say on this issue.