Vol. 471 No. 2
29 Dr. McDaid asked the Minister for Health the scientific basis, if any, for linking Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease with BSE; whether the basis is factual or theoretical; the Department or organisation which is dealing with research in this area in the State; and his views in this regard. [19745/96]
, Limerick East): The perspective, in Ireland as elsewhere, in response to BSE-CJD has been determined over the last number of years by the international literature on this subject. The international consensus arrived at on the basis of this literature has been that there is a possible link between BSE and CJD. The strength of the evidence of a possible link was increased earlier this year by the publication by the Edinburgh CJD surveillance unit of a paper which described a new variant of CJD disease in the UK. The conclusion of this research was that BSE was probably causally linked to this new variant of CJD. Subsequent to the publication of this paper the World Health Organisation arranged a consensus conference of international experts on the subject, which confirmed that the link between BSE and the new variant of CJD was probable but that the evidence remained circumstantial. My Department was represented at the WHO conference.
Further evidence of the strength of the link between BSE and the new variant CJD was provided in a recent scientific paper in the journal Nature. This paper identified significant biochemical similarities between the transmissible agent responsible for the new variant CJD and the agent responsible for BSE. While this evidence strengthens the hypothesis of a link between the two conditions, it does not provide incontrovertible proof of such a link.
In September of this year I set up an advisory group on CJD chaired by Professor William Hall, director of the Virus Reference Laboratory and Professor of Microbiology in University College, Dublin. This advisory group consists of experts in all disciplines relevant to this subject such as neurology, neuropathology, public health, veterinary medicine and microbiology. The brief of this advisory group includes advising me on research strategies in relation to CJD and on international developments generally in this area.
Research into many aspects of CJD, including its surveillance and aetiology, is being carried out in this country and my Department has contributed to a European Union research project on CJD surveillance. The surveillance system for Ireland which I have established has designated two national reference centres at Cork University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital. I expect that the information which this system will provide will be of great assistance to me and my Department in monitoring developments in Ireland in relation to CJD. The Food Safety Advisory Board has also reported to me on the public health implications of BSE and CJD and, at my request, it is keeping the position under continuous review.
My colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, has also established an advisory group, concentrating on BSE. My Department and other medical experts are represented on that group as well as, of course, representatives of veterinary medicine and other disciplines. His Department is also participating in and supporting research relating to BSE.
