Written question asked by Andrew George (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 6 May 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 May 2004. It was answered by Ben Bradshaw (Labour) on Thursday, 20 May 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many studies the Government has funded in the last 15 years into the specificity and sensitivity of the Bovigam gamma interferon test; which research establishments conducted each study; what the conclusions of each study were, with reference to specificity and sensitivity; when the results of each study were drawn to the attention of (a) the chief veterinary officers and (b) Ministers; and where and when the results were published. - Inc ref to Annex 2 of the paper presented to the TB Forum on Gamma Interferon (TBF62) available at www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/forum/papers/tbf62.htm.

Answer: Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many studies the Government have funded in the last 15 years into the specificity and sensitivity of the Bovigam gamma interferon test; which research establishments conducted each study; what the conclusions of each study were, with reference to specificity and sensitivity; when the results of each study were drawn to the attention of (a) the chief veterinary officers and (b) Ministers; and where and when the results were published. [172556] Mr. Bradshaw: The Bovigam test became commercially available around 1991. Since then field research in a number of countries including Britain has confirmed the test to be a valuable ancillary test to the skin test. We have not conducted studies designed to look particularly at the specificity and sensitivity of the Bovigam test in the UK. However there are nine current research projects which are looking at the development of more Mycobacterium bovis specific gamma interferon antigens or on the validation of the ones already trialled. Further details of these can be found in Annex 2 of the paper presented to the TB Forum on Gamma Interferon (TBF62) available on line at www.defra.gov.uk/ animalh/tb/forum/papers/tbf62.htm. Work is continuing in the form of the policy pilot field trial. In addition, a number of peer-reviewed papers have been published in academic journals.

Secondary information