Evaluating tests for BSE diagnosis
The Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection is calling for researchers to express an interest in submitting tests developed for diagnosing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in ruminants for consideration in a programme designed to evaluate them. The Commission wishes to launch a second evaluation programme to determine the capability of diagnostic tests already developed. The first evaluation of rapid diagnostic tests for BSE was completed by the European Commission in July 1999. Additional tests for the diagnosis are at advanced stages in a number of laboratories. The objectives of the call are the identification, selection and evaluation of tests that should be included in the programme for the evaluation of tests for the diagnosis of BSE in ruminants. The tests should be in the operational stage of development with the potential to be industrialised. Priority will be given to tests which may be capable of differentiating between BSE and other TSEs (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies)or can demonstrate very low detection limits or be useful in preclinical diagnosis in live animals. Information on the contents of the expression of interest and technical dossier is available from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection in the form of a document 'General Conditions and Detailed Specifications.' For further information, and to obtain the document mentioned above, please contact: Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection Directorate Scientific Opinions on Health Matters Unit B.3 Mr P Wagstaffe 232 Rue Belliard B-1049 Brussels Fax +32-2-2994891 The preliminary report of the first evaluation is available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/health/bse/bse12_en.pdf(odnośnik otworzy się w nowym oknie)