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USDA vs. FDA

A

Anonymous

Guest
Who's on first in battle against BSE?


Friday, October 12, 2007 11:25 AM MDT




Our Views

In the old Superman comics there is an alternative world, an alternate reality, where things are topsy-turvy, or opposite. This alternate reality place was called “Bizarro world.” One might make the case we are experiencing our own “Bizarro world” given what's taking place in regards to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and how two U.S. government agencies are handling the situation.

One might think that since BSE involves cattle, the agency most concerned about keeping the disease out of the U.S. would be the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but that's not the case.

Last month the USDA published a final rule to allow older Canadian cattle into this country. The rule allows for the importation of Canadian cattle and bison for any use born on or after March 1, 1999 - the date determined by USDA to be the date of effective enforcement of the ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban in Canada. The ruling also lifts a delay on meat and meat products from bovines older than 30 months of age that was imposed in March 2005.

What's disconcerting about that decision is that although USDA's Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. John Clifford said the likelihood of BSE becoming established in the U.S. cattle population by allowing additional commodities from Canada is negligible, he went on to say that his agency's risk assessment acknowledged the presence of BSE in Canada and that there likely would be additional cases identified in the future.

Given the number of cases of BSE that have been found in Canada, and the fact USDA admits additional cases of BSE in Canada are likely to be found, we questioned the wisdom of this action.





So, here we have a government agency whose responsibility it is to look out for the welfare of the agriculture industry, making a decision that, if it errs, errs on the side of optimism - that BSE won't enter into the U.S. cattle.

Now, contrast that with the action of another U.S. government agency - the Food and Drug Administration.

This agency is so afraid of BSE that it has imposed a ban on sperm from all European countries with exposure to BSE (mad cow disease). In May of 2005, FDA effectively blocked donors from Denmark to the United Kingdom. So for American parents looking for donor sperm to produce blond, blue-eyed Scandinavian babies - well, that just got a little tougher.



Scientists have said concerned doctors could always screen potential donors to see if they might be at high-risk for BSE.

Hmmm. Very interesting.

Let's get this straight - even though there's no evidence that mad cow disease can be transmitted in human semen, the FDA has imposed a ban that doesn't allow donor sperm from persons located in a country where mad cow was found in cattle for fear BSE could somehow be transmitted to other humans and, somewhere down the line, the U.S. cattle indsutry.

On the other hand, the USDA is going to allow cattle, from which BSE can be transmitted, to be imported from a country where BSE has been found and will likely be found again, according to their own assessment.

It makes one wonder who is looking out for the best interests of agriculture, and who is looking out for the welfare of the population.

Welcome to Bizarro world.

http://www.theprairiestar.com/articles/2007/10/12/ag_news/opinion/letters10.txt
 

S.S.A.P.

Well-known member
Yes . . . . let's get this straight :shock:
The authors of this piece are saying that, somewhere down the line, human sperm will transfer BSE to the U.S. cattle industry??? :???: :???: :shock: :shock:
 

Mike

Well-known member
S.S.A.P. said:
Yes . . . . let's get this straight :shock:
The authors of this piece are saying that, somewhere down the line, human sperm will transfer BSE to the U.S. cattle industry??? :???: :???: :shock: :shock:

The "Authors" aren't saying it, the FDA is saying it.

Bizarro is RIGHT! :???:
 

Mike

Well-known member
European sperm running out in US after FDA ban
MARIA CHENG AP Medical Writer

(AP) - LONDON-For American parents looking for donor sperm to produce blond, blue-eyed Scandinavian babies, the search just got a little trickier.

In May 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided to ban sperm from any European countries with exposure to mad cow disease, effectively striking off donors from Denmark to the United Kingdom. While some sperm banks have had enough frozen stocks to cope with the demand, they are now running low.



"We still have a little bit left, but not much," said Claus Rodgaard, manager of Cryos International, a Danish-based sperm bank with an office in New York.

"We're not here to promote people to have blond, blue-eyed babies, but if those are the kinds of characteristics you're looking for, then Danish sperm is good for that," Rodgaard said. "That's all we have in Denmark."

Scientists say the ban is not justified.

"The consensus in the United Kingdom is that this is a silly ban," said Dr. Allan Pacey, an andrology expert at the University of Sheffield and secretary of the British Fertility Society. "There's no evidence to show that mad cow disease can be transmitted in human semen."

The human form of mad cow disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, is mainly transmitted after people eat infected meat. In rare cases, the disease has also been spread by contaminated surgical equipment or in transplants of brain tissue. There has never been a documented case of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob being passed on after a sperm donation.

Pacey said that concerned doctors could always screen potential donors to see if they might be at high-risk for mad cow disease, but that a blanket ban was unnecessary.

Other experts agreed the possibility of sperm transmitting mad cow disease was negligible. "I'd be more worried about genetic diseases," said Dr. Gianpiero Palermo, an associate professor at Cornell University's Center for Reproductive Medicine.

Diseases including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, or bacterial infections like chlamydia would be far more likely to be spread by sperm donors, doctors said.

Rodgaard said that the FDA has been asked to reconsider their decision, but that they have not had any signs that the ban might soon be lifted. "It's a completely random decision," he said, pointing out that even though Canada has reported mad cow cases, "you are still allowed to import all the tissue you want from Canada."

For the moment, the best option for American parents set on children of European stock may be to actually travel to Europe. "We just have not been able to import any more Scandinavian sperm," Rodgaard said.

Palermo said that the decision has not had a big impact on their patients.

"There's absolutely no difference between American and European sperm," he said. "If you are looking for a specific type of donor, we can find whatever genetic qualities you want in the U.S."

2007-09-21T00:20:05Z
 

S.S.A.P.

Well-known member
Mike - there are over one hundred of those 'reruns' through google search. (many lines are reproduced in Oldtimers post of the article). I'm still looking for the FDA official version that states human sperm will give the US cattle herd BSE.

Don't you suspect some fear-mongering :wink: ?

Perhaps Oldtimer can post the FDA version since he posted this article with those words bolded and underlined . He must think it was pretty important.
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
S.S.A.P. said:
Mike - there are over one hundred of those 'reruns' through google search. (many lines are reproduced in Oldtimers post of the article). I'm still looking for the FDA official version that states human sperm will give the US cattle herd BSE.

Don't you suspect some fear-mongering :wink: ?

Perhaps Oldtimer can post the FDA version since he posted this article with those words bolded and underlined . He must think it was pretty important.

ssap,I caint post the fda version of this theory..........but i can post mine,if you are sure you wanna hear it :D :D ..............good luck
 

S.S.A.P.

Well-known member
Hey Oldtimer, where did you go?
Oldtimer said:
Since I recognize the sensationalism used by most media now, and their investigative reports- I usually try to read and watch several sources to even it out...
http://ranchers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=239289#239289

Ot how does your *recognition* relate to the request I made of you to post the FDA policy stating what you underlined?

Mike, how about you? Did you find it?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
S.S.A.P. said:
Hey Oldtimer, where did you go?
Oldtimer said:
Since I recognize the sensationalism used by most media now, and their investigative reports- I usually try to read and watch several sources to even it out...
http://ranchers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=239289#239289

Ot how does your *recognition* relate to the request I made of you to post the FDA policy stating what you underlined?

Mike, how about you? Did you find it?

Sorry ASAP-- I'm not your husband-- I don't jump everytime some old woman whines....I'm going to leave the researching the FDA site to you (they are about impossible to manuever)...All I know is that there are several similar articles floating the media this last week-- and it is ironic, how our FDA and USDA could have such conflicting policies.....
Just another example of the unknowns and unscience involved with BSE and how everything is theory made up of the best SWAG--scientific wild assed guess......
Just like USDA says the Canadian cattle pose little risk-- while FDA says the Canadian cattle are 26 times the risk.....
 

RobertMac

Well-known member
SSAP, you miss the point...one government agency is reacting with "an over abundance of caution" (FDA sperm ban) while another agency knows that Canada has a BSE problem....knows that OTM cattle are more likely to have BSE...admits the possibility/probability of importing more BSE (positive BSE cases after the 'magic' feed ban date)...and crosses their fingers, throws salt over their shoulder, and kills all black cats in hopes their action won't increase our BSE problem.

I agree with OT, searching the FDA site is ridiculous...but, here is a link to the FDA info you wanted.

http://www.fda.gov/cber/gdlns/tissdonor.pdf
 

S.S.A.P.

Well-known member
Thanks RobertMac but it seems you have provided the wrong FDA policy.
It's either that or you boys can take down your

"No
European
Luv'in
in my
Cattle fields"
signs. :wink:
. . . the "we" above seems to have sourced some inaccurate information. :shock:

I don't think I missed the point of this thread. Canadians are familar with the flock shooting attitude of some (not all) US cattlemen and your media.


OR

are you questioning the safety of your OTM cattle due to your BSE problems?

RobertMac said:
.... < USDA > knows that OTM cattle are more likely to have BSE...
.... our BSE problem ....
 

RobertMac

Well-known member
SSAP, that FDA document was referred to by a reporter on this story. I apologize if I forced you to endure the pain of reading the entire document. :oops:

SSAP said:
are you questioning the safety of your OTM cattle due to your BSE problems?

What I am questioning...is it prudent for countries with a BSE problem to be trading cattle that could potentially spread the problem? In our case, that means live OTM cattle going north as well as coming south. Being equally sick should not be a basis for trade policy that ignores health issues and proven controls for those health issues.
 
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