WRITTEN QUESTION E-1985/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (17 July 1996)

Subject: BSE

1. Has any detailed study been undertaken as to the precise changes to rendering systems between 1975 and 1985, not only in the UK but in the rest of Europe and the USA?

If, as is believed to be the case, changes in rendering systems occurred throughout Europe and elsewhere at roughly the same time as occurred in the UK, how can infected food in the UK be considered to be the sole cause of BSE?

2. Has there been any coordinated Europe-wide study of the incidence of scrapie? What are the incidences in flocks in each of the Member States? What is the distribution of scrapie strains throughout Europe?

3. Has any thorough study of the distribution of UK-produced meat and bonemeal been made, particularly during 1975-85, for instance as to sales (directly or incorporated in finished feed) to the Middle East and north Africa, with a view to establishing an international correlation between the incidence of BSE and the consumption by cattle of MBM?

4. Has a detailed evaluation been made of the methodology adopted by the UK authorities in respect of their epidemiological studies? In the absence of any such study, can it necessarily be accepted that the epidemiological studies are sound, especially in the context of many UK farmers having claimed - in respect of BSE cattle owned by them - that their cattle have never been exposed to meat and bonemeal?

5. Has any separate study been carried out to determine whether the original hypothesis of scrapie-infected feed as a cause of BSE can be sustained?

6. Why has not the Commission sought from (or required from) the UK an assurance that a properly structured research programme to determination the causation of BSE is being carried out, particularly in respect of satisfying Kock's postulates as of causation, and in the absence of such a programme is the Commission in a position to guide the UK in these matters?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission (16 September 1996)

1. A retrospective study of changes in rendering practices in the United Kingdom has been made but the Commission is not aware of a similar study having been made in respect of the rest of Europe and the United States. A questionnaire survey carried out in 1990 did not reveal similar trends in Europe.

It is not known therefore whether the same changes in rendering practices occurred elsewhere at the same time. Even if they did, this does not preclude an agent being present in the United Kingdom at the relevant time, but not present elsewhere.

2. No. The incidence of scrapie in flocks, and the distribution of strains, is not known. Scrapie is not notifiable to the Commission, and so there are no official statistics at Community level.

3. No. There was no legal requirement to keep such records, so such a study could not provide any reliable information.

4. The british scientists have always supplied details of the methodologies of their epidemiological studies. These methodologies are standard, well known and have been published in peer-reviewed journals. There is no reason to doubt their scientific accuracy. The Commission is aware of some claims by farmers that some cattle affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) have not been exposed to meat-and-bone meal, but such claims are few and are difficult to verify.

5. There are at least two hypotheses for the origin of BSE; infected material from sheep or infected material from cattle containing a previously unrecognised pathogen of cattle. There is no clear way in which the two hypothesis can be separated, and both are equally supported by the available data. It is not clear what the Honourable Member means by a 'separate' study.

6. Several studies are in progress on the pathogenesis and transmission of BSE and the Commission is kept informed of the results. Koch's postulates, as far as they can be applied in terms of modern biology, are satisfied by the studies. In addition, the Commission has established a working group chaired by Professor Weissmann, an international expert on prion diseases, to advise on what further research is needed.