EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/714

(2004/C 78 E/0762)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1340/03

by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 April 2003)

Subject: Funding of research into prion diseases in the 6th Research Framework Programme

Prion diseases, otherwise known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) represent a wholly new type of infectious agents. They have become an issue in the EU particularly as a result of the emergence of the BSE infection in cattle and of its variant, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

There is still much uncertainty about how infection with TSEs occurs, and about their distribution, and it is therefore essential that wide-ranging research into them be carried out in the interests of public health. The principle underlying the action of prions, and the diseases they cause, may be much more widespread in nature than has hitherto been realised. At present, for example, it is not known whether BSE has already moved to sheep, and if so, to what extent. The incidence of BSE in the various EU countries and its infection route is also quite unclear.

As a result of the BSE crisis, many Member States have supported the funding of research into prion diseases on a temporary basis. However, there were no guarantees that these projects could be continued, and so the funding of research into TSE diseases rests firmly with the EU.

It is of extreme importance that attention be given to research into prions and TSE diseases in the Sixth Framework Programme on Research at this time. The continuation of sufficiently high-quality research cannot be guaranteed if research into prion diseases has to compete for funding alongside other degenerative diseases of the nervous system (such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's chorea). In view of the importance of this subject, funding of the ‘European Network of Excellence’ type is not sufficient for financing research into TSEs, and these diseases must have their own integrated project in the Sixth Framework Programme on Research.

What measures does the Commission propose to take to ensure that sufficient funding is given to research on TSEs? Does the Commission propose to give prion research its own integrated project in the 6th Framework Programme?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(27 May 2003)

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) research may be supported by the Union's Sixth Framework Programme in a number of ways.

According to the workprogrammes for 2003 and 2004 of Thematic Priorities I and V (Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health and Food Quality and Safety respectively), proposals are sought to address the following topics:

— Thematic Priority V: T19; Prevention, control and management of prion diseases. To be supported by a Network of Excellence or an Integrated Project (NoE preferred);

— Thematic Priority I: LSH-2002-2.1.3-3; Role and mechanisms of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. To be supported by an Integrated Project;

— Thematic Priority I; LSH-2002-1.2.2-3; New diagnostic tools for prion associated diseases. To be supported by a Specific Targeted Research Project (STREP).

The selection of these topics took account of the portfolio of TSE work already funded by the Community and in Member States, and also of the views of the research community, via the Expressions of Interest exercise.

In 2001, the Commission launched a specific call for TSE research with the objective of filling gaps in the European TSE research effort. The contents of the call were based on an analysis of all of the research ongoing in TSEs in Europe at that time. This analysis was performed by the Commission with the help of independent expert scientists from all Member States. The vast majority of gaps are now being addressed by projects funded under this call. These include projects investigating the various aspects relating to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in small ruminants.

The areas which were not well addressed in the call related to the relative lack of co-ordination in the European TSE research effort. This lack of co-ordination can be best addressed by a successful Network of Excellence, hence a Network is the favoured instrument in Priority V. Nevertheless, the opportunity remains for an Integrated Project, dedicated to TSE research, to be funded by this Priority, should it be highly rated by the independent experts who will evaluate all proposals.

Finally, it should also be noted that regarding ‘the incidence of BSE in the various Member States’, the following website (http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/bse/index_en.html) gives details on the BSE testing programmes in Member States as provided by Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO). The Union is testing all adult bovine animals (above 30 months, with the exception of certain animals destroyed under the over-thirty-months-scheme (OTMS) in the United Kingdom) at slaughter or death and the testing programme ensures that all clinical cases are detected and reported. It should, however, also be noted that if an infected animal dies or is slaughtered before reaching the clinical phase it may not be detected, due to the limited capacity of the tests to detect pre-clinical cases.