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You have now entered the area of PARA's website we've entitled "PARA's Paper Trail." Since May of 1997, PARA has been attempting to get various agencies of the U.S. Government to act on behalf of the American public with respect to our concerns about the MAP/Crohn's disease issue. As evidenced by the letters which are reproduced in our "Letters" section, it is clear that these agencies are not going to take the conservative approach on this issue with regard to ensuring the protection of the public health. What has transpired over the course of the past four years is a "passing of the buck" from one agency to the other. At best, the issue has been given merely lip service by the agencies responsible for human health.
The obstacles we have faced these past years are not scientific in nature... they are political in nature. As evidenced by our "paper trail" of letters, we have been extremely careful to preserve these documents for posterity sake so that the formal record clearly demonstrates that every responsible agency of the U.S. Government has historically been sufficiently apprised of this situation. Undoubtedly, there will be accountability issues raised in the future as to why the individuals within those agencies have been remiss in their responsibility to the American public.
It is PARA's opinion that the only way these agencies will address this controversial issue is through the intervention of Congress. We are, therefore, urging each and every U.S. citizen to get involved by contacting Members of Congress. For details on how to help, please visit the "2001 March to Congress" section of our website.
About the "Paper Trail"
There are two sections of the "Paper Trail" -
"Letters" - A compilation of all of the letters that PARA has sent to various agencies of the U.S. Government and the replies received from those agencies. We will add to these when future letters are sent and/or received.
"Government Breakdown" - This is a flow chart provided to aid you in understanding the breakdown of the responsibilities of the various agencies of the U.S. Government with respect to food safety and human health. Unfortunately, this is a situation where there has truly been a "government breakdown." For detailed information about each of the agencies involved, we have provided a Directory of U.S. Agencies, with a link to summaries of each.
Background
Before reading the letters, it may be helpful to read the following background information. These food safety concerns must be urgently addressed, lest more and more children in this nation potentially have their lives devastated from this disease.
* * * * * * * * * *
Concerns about Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) and the scientific studies which suggest a connection to Crohn's disease in humans raise extremely grave concerns about food safety in the U.S.
What are the chances that live MAP is in our food? As a bit of history, in 1993, seven long years ago, the first scientific study was published indicating that MAP may survive pasteurization standards used in the U.S. This study was ignored by federal agencies responsible for food safety in this nation. Much later, in 1998, when University of Wisconsin researchers published their findings that MAP was able to survive current U.S. pasteurization standards, it was again ignored by our U.S. Federal Agencies cognizant of food safety. All in all, during the period 1993 through 1998, five long years, six studies came in from the U.S. and around the world which suggested that MAP may survive current U.S. pasteurization standards/practices and all of them the were tossed aside, ignored by cognizant U.S. Federal Agencies such as USDA/FDA.
While our U.S. Federal Agencies ignored these significant findings, smaller and less able nations stepped to the forefront in this issue. In 1998 Ireland stepped to the plate, taking dramatic steps to remove MAP from the food chain. Also in 1998, the United Kingdom's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAFF) undertook a nationwide study to investigate the microbiological quality of raw and pasteurized cows' milk in the UK. Findings from the U.K. study have been published stating that live MAP was found in retail milk in the U.K. It should be noted that U.K. pasteurization standards are equal to or exceed those used in the U.S.
There are two published studies - a USDA study and one from the University of Georgia - which suggest that MAP may not survive pasteurization. Both of these studies have had significant criticisms levied at them from the scientific community. Methodology of the USDA study has been criticized, and the Georgia study has been criticized for a misinterpretation of data generated in the study.
Considering the available scientific evidence, it appears that there is a very high likelihood of live MAP in retail milk in the U.S. Nevertheless, some argue that the data remains incomplete. The Centers for Disease Control issued the following statement relative to incomplete data: "Consumer health takes precedence over market concerns, and when data are incomplete, a conservative response is warranted until the risk can be accurately assessed."
Smaller and less able nations have acted and/or are in the process of determining action to ensure the protection of the public health relative to live MAP in food supplies. The lessons learned by the UK Government BSE crisis have not been forgotten. They realize that mounting PR campaigns to assure the public that there is no food safety problem is simply not enough. Sadly, to date, federal agencies in the U.S. responsible for food safety have not taken the "conservative approach" and have not acted to exercise the precautionary principle in the U.S. to ensure the protection of the public health relative to the potential threat posed by MAP.
In the opinion of PARA, the failure
of these federal agencies to take swift action to ensure the
protection of U.S. citizens is
nothing short of a national disgrace!
Source:
http://members.aol.com/ParaTBweb/index.htm
Contact PARA: http://www.crohns.org/contact.htm
Paratuberculosis Awareness &
Research Association
"The Cause for a Cure for Crohn's
Disease"