- GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters)
- Just as Britain confirmed its 2,000th case of foot and mouth disease,
a leading scientist said Tuesday the government had not learned the lessons
of an earlier farming crisis -- mad cow disease.
- Professor Malcolm Ferguson-Smith of Cambridge University
told journalists that despite a two-year, $38 million inquiry into mad
cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), important findings
were not being followed.
- ``There is some evidence that one or two of the lessons
have certainly not been learned,'' Ferguson-Smith said at a science conference.
- Chief among them was a need for openness and consultations
with independent scientists, he said.
- ``Lack of openness leads to public mistrust of government,''
he told the British Association science conference.
- Ferguson-Smith, a veterinary pathologist, was one of
the three members of the BSE inquiry committee, which produced a 3,200-page,
- He admitted it was formidable reading but said it contained
important findings that should be looked at carefully.
- The report, released last year, concluded that no institution
or individual was to blame for the BSE crisis but it criticized poor coordination
between government departments and secrecy based on a fear of causing public
- Foot and mouth disease has led to the slaughter of more
than 3.7 million animals and badly damaged Britain's tourism industry,
but Ferguson-Smith said the government did not want another expensive inquiry
and politicians do not want to arouse undue public anxiety.
- Instead of a public inquiry along the lines of the BSE
probe, three government committees looking into foot and mouth disease
will be sitting in private.
- Ferguson-Smith suggested government scientists should
seek outside help and expertise if they need it. Many independent scientists
who said they had tried to warn the government about BSE said they had
- ``Government scientists can't be expected to be experts
in everything and they should enlist help if they need it,'' he said.
- ``Experts should be recruited wherever they are found
in the world,'' he added.
- Up to 300 scientists are presenting research at the week-long
science conference, which started Monday.