NOAH Dismisses Alleged Link Between OPs and BSE

Links between organophosphorous insecticides used by farmers for treating warble fly in cattle and the emergence of BSE have been unequivocally dismissed by the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH).

"We have to conclude that there is no epidemiological evidence to link the general use of OPs in agriculture to the appearance of BSE in UK and Western Europe," says NOAH in written evidence to the BSE Inquiry this week.

Roger Cook, NOAH director, told the Inquiry that in agriculture the use of individual OPs had been developed so that they are or had been used in almost every sphere of farming, worldwide, while outside agriculture they were also used in human medicine and as public health insecticides.

"There is, in our experience, no single use of OPs in general, or of specific substances, which is unique to the UK or to the UK livestock sector. In response to the original allegation that OPs 'caused' BSE we have to ask: why did BSE only occur in the UK and, to a much lesser extent, in Western Europe when OPs have been used around the world for 40 years," said Mr Cook in NOAH's evidence.

Looking specifically at warble treatments, there is no link either on geography or timing. Warbles occur in most cattle keeping countries and have been treated with products identical to those used here.

In UK treatment of dairy and beef cattle with OP warble dressing took place throughout the 1970s, peaked in the 1979-80 and then rapidly tailed off. From 1982 onwards treatment was principally confined to Wales and the South West of England.

According to NOAH if OP warble dressing were the cause of BSE then the UK pattern of the disease should have been equally in both beef and dairy cattle, emerging in the 1970s, peaking in the mid-1980s, steadily tailing off, with cases being confined to the South West and Wales by the late 1980s and prevalent in all countries where OP warble dressings were used, in proportion to the level of use.

"The Inquiry will note that none of these attributes apply to BSE as experienced in real life," said NOAH.

"The association's stance supports the view widely held by many eminent scientists, that there is no link between OPs and BSE," added Mr Cook.

25 September 1998

Notes for Editors

1. For further information contact Roger Cook or Alison Glennon, or telephone +44 (0)181 367 3131.
2. The National Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent the UK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animal health products. The association now represents 53 companies which in 1997 accounted for around 95% of the £379 million UK animal health market, with additional valuable exports.
3. A copy of NOAH's submission to the BSE Inquiry is available on request.