[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 12 (Thursday, January 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 2399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1342]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 12 / Thursday, January 17, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 2399]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-027N]


Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Current Thinking Paper; 
Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing 
the availability of the Agency's current thinking paper on possible 
actions to minimize human exposure to meat food products from cattle 
that could contain the infective agent that causes Bovine Spongiform 
Encephalopathy (BSE). BSE, commonly referred to as ``Mad Cow Disease,'' 
is a chronic degenerative disease affecting the nervous system of 
cattle. Worldwide, there have been more than 178,000 cases since the 
disease was first diagnosed in 1986 in Great Britain, although no cases 
of BSE have been confirmed in the United States. Recent laboratory and 
epidemiological research indicate that there is a causal association 
between BSE and a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a slow 
degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of humans.
    The Agency current thinking paper follows the recent publication of 
a risk assessment conducted by the Harvard University School of Public 
Health to analyze and evaluate the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 
current measures to prevent BSE. FSIS requests comments on both the 
current thinking paper and the Harvard risk assessment.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the current thinking paper and the Harvard risk 
assessment are available from the FSIS Docket Clerk, FSIS Docket Room, 
Room 102, 300 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. Copies of 
both documents also are available on the Internet at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/default.htm. Send all written comments on 
the current thinking paper and the risk assessment to the FSIS Docket 
Room. All comments received will be considered part of the public 
record and will be available for viewing in the Docket Room between 
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Daniel Engeljohn, Director, 
Regulations and Directives Development Staff, Office of Policy, Program 
Development and Evaluation, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-5627.

    Done in Washington, DC on: January 15, 2002.
Ronald F. Hicks,
Acting Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 02-1342 Filed 1-15-02; 2:09 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P