Foot and Mouth Disease Review 2007

Foot and Mouth 2007: Review

Chairman, Dr Iain Anderson
Room 3.21, 26 Whitehall, London SW1A 2WH

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11 March 2008

“Much to applaud…some deficiencies” as Dr Anderson publishes the Foot and Mouth Disease 2007: Review and Lessons Learned

The independent Review of the 2007 Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak is published today [PDF 1.4MB, 132 pages]. Dr Iain Anderson, the chairman of the Review, said the handling of the 2007 outbreak was better than in 2001, but there were still lessons to be learned. “In examining the 2007 outbreak, we found much to applaud, along with some deficiencies. On balance, the positive easily outweighs the negative.”

For example:

• The benefits of improved contingency planning over the past five years within both Defra and the Animal Health agency
• The role that science (including in respect of the decision not to vaccinate) played during the outbreak
• More effective communications both externally to the wider media and to farmers and stakeholders affected

But on the other hand:

• The virus should never have escaped from Pirbright. The regulatory system was poor, given the level of risk managed at that facility – a fact already identified by the three previous reports into the outbreak
• Data and Information systems were weak and little progress had been made on recommendations from 2001
• The response was not scaleable had there been multiple outbreaks

Dr Anderson makes one major personal recommendation based on his assessment of all the evidence and analysis in respect of Pirbright. He said:

“In the light of the growing threats from globalisation and climate change, the risks posed by exotic animal disease in the UK are increasing and are set to increase still further.”

The Institute for Animal Health (IAH) – a world leader in the field of exotic animal diseases – needs to be repositioned as a new National Institute of Infectious Diseases, supported by multiple funding sources from government and elsewhere. The Institute should ideally forge formal links with one or more universities.”

 

Commenting on the launch of his report, Dr Anderson said:

“The FMD outbreak in 2007 was avoidable. If there's one new lesson to be learned it is this: the creeping degradation of standards that led to the outbreak must never be allowed again. The structural and management inadequacies at and around Pirbright must be addressed urgently and comprehensively.

“To that end today, and in my report, I am calling on Defra and the Government to establish a National Institute of Infectious Diseases, drawing on the deep well of scientific knowledge and expertise across the animal health disciplines in the UK and the world. This will require some work, but I am convinced that Defra can make a success of this, knowing that the nation's eyes are upon them.”

The Review examined the nine major lessons from the 2002 Report. Overall the Review found the Government's response to the outbreak was effective. However, one lesson not learned was the use of data and information management systems, a crucial aspect of an effective response strategy and one that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Going forward, the report makes a number of recommendations for further action to build on the progress made since 2001.

Dr Anderson also proposes that steps should be taken to create an Independent Advisory Committee on Animal and Emerging Infectious Diseases. It would take a strategic overview of all aspects of animal health, transcending artificial boundaries defined by government departments.

Dr Anderson urges that the ambiguities and wrangling over departmental leadership that have bedevilled progress in this area need to be tackled and not left in doubt any longer. He says:

“I believe Defra will properly support well argued, peer reviewed research programme if it is confident that value will be delivered and budget pressures allow.”

He adds though:

“If however, these issues cannot be resolved at departmental level, or if Defra is constrained by lack of funding, then I urge the Prime Minister to ensure that appropriate new arrangements are brought into being as soon as practicable.”

Notes for Editors

1. Since the outbreak of foot and mouth disease identified in Surrey in August 2007, the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs department asked Dr Iain Anderson to look again at the Government's response to the outbreak. The terms of reference for the Foot and Mouth Review: 2007 were:
   
   To conduct a review of the Government's handling of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease during 2007, in order to:
   • establish whether relevant points from the Lessons to be Learned Report on the 2001 outbreak were implemented;
   • establish whether new lessons might be drawn from the handling of the 2007 outbreak;
   • and to make recommendations by the end of 2007 to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the future handling of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks.
2. The Review was independent. The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told the House of Commons on 8 October 2007: “we have asked Iain Anderson, who reported on the 2001 outbreak and therefore appears to be the most appropriate person to do it, to reflect on how this outbreak has been handled. He can look into all the matters that he wants to and then he will report back to us.”
3. The Review completed its work within six months and reported on March 11 2008.
4. Dr Iain Anderson chaired the Foot and Mouth Disease 2001: Lessons to be Learned Inquiry, which reported in July 2002. The report identified 9 major lessons alongside 81 recommendations.
5. For any further information please contact Rupert Cazalet on 07739 088 162.