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WIN Presents CWD paper to UK Government Advisors

PRESS RELEASE

6 December, 2004

The Wildlife Information Network (WIN) was commissioned by the UK Government's independent scientific advisors, the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), to provide an up to date comprehensive review of Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer and Elk.

The paper was presented last Tuesday 30 November, 2004 at SEAC's open meeting in Cardiff. Professor Chris Higgins, the SEAC Chair said "SEAC hadn't considered CWD before. WIN's review provided an up to date and comprehensive account of the science on CWD. It allowed the committee to debate the issues from an informed position". The meeting was broadcast live on the Internet and a recording may be viewed at

http://clients.westminster-digital.co.uk/seac/onlineEvents/

WIN provides information on the health and management of wild animals and emerging diseases to decision-makers worldwide. "This is another excellent example of WIN's work being recognised at the highest level," said Iain Boardman, WIN's Chief Executive.

Ends:

Issued on behalf of Wildlife Information Network.

For further information, please contact

Iain Boardman, Wildlife Information Network, Tel: +44 (0)1827 88 11 22 or

E-mail: iboardman@wildlifeinformation.org

 

Notes for Editors:

  1. Wildlife Information Network is a UK Registered Charity that provides information on wildlife and emerging infectious diseases.
  2. The Electronic Encyclopaedia and Library published by the Wildlife Information Network (WIN) is made available through its Website www.wildlifeinformation.org to members of WIN: professionals and decision-makers worldwide. It is a user-friendly system providing cross-disciplinary information. Volumes are made available on both a password controlled Website and CD-ROM.
  3. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is one of the TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) diseases which include scrapie in sheep, BSE (mad cow disease) in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. Other TSEs, particularly BSE and the related feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE) have been found in animals including herbivores, carnivores and humans. CWD has been recorded in elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Elk (Cervus elapus canadensis) are considered to be a sub-species of red deer (Cervus elaphus).

WIN's Chronic Wasting Disease CD-ROM is now available

  1. The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) is appointed by Ministers and sponsored jointly by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Its role is to provide independent expert scientific advice to the Government on spongiform encephalopathies such as BSE, CJD and scrapie. SEAC's remit is wide-ranging, and covers public health, food safety and animal health issues.

    The Committee was formed over 10 years ago and its terms of reference are as follows:
    • 'To advise on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) at the request of:
      • Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
      • Department of Health
      • Food Standards Agency
      • Scottish Executive
      • Welsh Assembly Government
      • Northern Ireland Executive
    • Provide independent scientific advice on food safety, public and animal health issues relating to TSEs taking account of the remits of other bodies with related responsibilities.
    • Provide scientifically based assessment of risk from TSEs to public and animal health and food safety taking appropriate account of scientific uncertainty and assumptions in formulating advice. The committee will convey the nature and extent of such uncertainties with the advice.
    • Advise on important general principles or new scientific discoveries in TSEs to assist in the identification of new or emerging TSE risks for public, animal health and food.
    • Advise on the scientific basis and risks associated with the introduction of new control measures or the reduction, phasing out or withdrawal of current control measures which are in place to protect public health or animal health from TSEs.
    • Identify where research is desirable to reduce the scientific uncertainty and inform the assessment of public and animal health and food safety risks relating to TSEs.'