HC Deb 30 November 1999 vol 340 c180W
Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the published references to the scientific, medical and agricultural research which indicate that new variant CJD in humans is caused by eating meat derived from BSE-infected cows. [99925]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 26 November 1999]: The association between BSE and variant CJD (vCJD) has been discussed in a number of published articles. Details of those of particular significance are as follows:

  1. 1. Will R. G., Ironside-Zeidler M., Cousens S. N., Estibeiro K., Alperovitch A., Poser S., Pocchiari M., Hofman A., Smith P. G. "A new variant of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease in the UK". Lancet 1996, 347/9006, P921–925.
  2. 2. Bruce M. E., Will R. G., Ironside J. W., McConnell I. D., Suttie A., McCardle L., Chree A., Hope J., Birkett C., Cousens S., Fraser H., Bostock C. J. "Transmissions to mice indicate that 'new variant' CJD is caused by the BSE agent". Nature 1997, 389 (6650), P498–501.
  3. 3. Collinge J., Sidle K. C. L., Meads J., Ironside J., Hill A. F. "Molecular analysis of prion strain variation and the etiology of new variant CJD". Nature, 1996, 383, P685–690.
  4. 4. Lasmezas C. I., Deslys J. P., Demaimay R., Adjou K., Lamoury F., Robain 0., Ironside J., Hauw J. J., Court L., Dormont D. "Experimental transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to macaques". Travaux Scientifiques Des Chercheurs Du Service De Sante Des Armees 0 (18), 1997, P123–124.
  5. 5. Will R. "New variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease". Biomedicine-Pharmacotherapy, 1999, 53, NI, Feb, P9–13.
The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), the independent expert group that advises the Government on all aspects of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, regularly reviews relevant published articles. The committee has concluded that the results of experiments reported in these articles provide convincing evidence that the agent which causes vCJD is the same as that which causes BSE.