Danish BSE scare prompts sense of urgency for testing and research Within days of confirmation of the first native case of Bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) in Denmark, Mr David Byrne, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, moved to reassure Europeans that the Commission is committed to tackling BSE. At a meeting wi... Within days of confirmation of the first native case of Bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) in Denmark, Mr David Byrne, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, moved to reassure Europeans that the Commission is committed to tackling BSE. At a meeting with Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Ritt Bjerregaard, the Commissioner announced his intention to publish the Commission proposals for BSE testing on a Community-wide basis in March or April this year. These will be designed to give a better picture of the incidence of BSE in the Member States through post mortems of a certain percentage of animals that die unexpectedly in the EU. France, Switzerland and Ireland already have such measures in place, but the European Commission would like to see legislation on testing for BSE and 'specified risk material' (SRMs) in place at an EU level. Denmark has now taken the initiative to remove SRMs from cattle and Commissioner Byrne is encouraging other Member States to follow suit. 'Some Member States are still reluctant to embrace our proposals. I think that the Danish case should be a lesson for those countries which appear reluctant to adopt sensible public health measures. SRMs, which include the brain, spinal cord, intestines and spleen, carry the greatest risk of infectivity for BSE and possible risk for human exposure to nvCJD', he said. In the run up to the Agriculture council in May/June, Mr Byrne says he will be making the strongest possible case for the removal of SRMs in line with his proposals. At that time, the Agriculture Ministers will have to take a position on the safeguards measures proposed by the Commission. The Commission is however concerned that Member States' fears of what such research may uncover will make them unwilling to approve its proposals.
