It was not only the media who sought his assistance. In the midst of the BSE outbreak of 2000, Osterhaus was also asked to personally advise the Minister of Agriculture, who appeared to be ill-informed by his own staff. That same afternoon, the minister informed Parliament of his BSE policy. Osterhaus heard the same sentences he had spoken that morning, and in the interview says he felt relieved: 'Democracy was still able to function as it should' (Osterhaus 6 March 2008). Civil servants lack the expertise to make informed decisions and they need experts to give advice, even if that means importing their political agenda.