Re: Govt has right to block testing for mad cow disease, court rules

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: EEkid () aol com
Date: September 1, 2008 12:31:00 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net, Valdis.Kletnieks () vt edu
Subject: Re: [IP] Re: Govt has right to block testing for mad cow    
disease, court rules

Valdis.Kletnieks-"As a result, the testing *would* create a false  
sense of security."

As opposed to no knowledge?  Is ignorance bliss in a situation where a  
fatal disease exists?

While there may not be inexpensive, easy to use tests currently on the  
market, there are patents for tests which detect piron disease before  
symptoms appear.  These tests need to be commercially developed.

Having a court ban testing is a huge mistake which will suppress  
destroy the future development of such friendly tests.  Why develop a  
product which can't be commercially used?


Valdis.Kletnieks-"if you're  testing for an fairly rare event with a  
test that has a noticeable false-
positive rate,"

Without comprehensive testing, there is no way to know just how wide  
spread the problem is especially if it's symptomatic as you stated,  
then consumed before the disease becomes symptomatic.

Prion diseases have been found in humans, house cats, sheep, goats,  
mink, squirrels, Elk, White-tailed deer, Mule Deer and Red Deer,   
There is also evidence that social interaction of the deer population  
at feeding stations play's a role in prion transmission.  What other  
animal can you think of that can be found in dense populations and  
feeds socially?  Prion diseases can be inherited.  There is even  
speculation that they may spontaneously generate in some cases.

Without comprehensive testing, any commentary regarding the actual  
infection rate is simply speculation.  Without knowing the actual  
infection rate, there is no way to know what the future human  
infection rate will be.  Will the future human prion disease rate be  
1% or 94%?  Banning such tests only ensures the tools needed to  
determine the actual infection rate will be slowed to market or never  
exist.


To ban testing may prevent a "false sense of security" but, I'd be  
willing to bet a false sense of security is the last thing the cattle  
industry is actually worried about.


Jerry






It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal  
here.




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