IEA Director of Public Policy and Communications Matthew Lesh has written for CapX discussing the recent approval of cultivated meat products for dogs and urging regulators to consider mirroring Singapore, Israel, and the United States by approving them for human consumption.

Matthew wrote:

“This is undoubtedly a step forward. It sends a signal that Britain is somewhere that can approve an important new technology. Also, if we believe the product is good enough for man’s best friends, surely it is now possible to show it is safe for humans? Why, as the product is already for sale in Singapore, can we not begin approvals in the UK?

“Despite Brexit giving more freedom to UK regulators to adapt their processes and approve products independently, we are still opting to follow the same underlying rules from when we were members of the EU. There are various options for reform, my paper for the Institute of Economic Affairs, ‘Bangers and Cash’, argues for the need to create greater certainty and encourage innovation while maintaining safety standards.”

Read Matthew’s full piece here.

You can also read Matthew’s 2023 paper Bangers and Cash: Cutting red tape to put Britain at the centre of the cultivated meat revolution.