Volume 1: Findings and Conclusions
Table of Contents

Executive Summary of the Report of the Inquiry
   Introduction
   1. Key conclusions
   2. The identification of the emergence of BSE
   3. The cause of BSE
   4. Assessment of risk posed by BSE to humans
   5. Communication of the risk posed by BSE to humans
   6. Measures to eradicate the disease in cattle
   7. Measures to address the risks posed by BSE to humans
   8. Medicines
   9. Cosmetics
   10. Occupational risk
   11. Other pathways of infection
   12. Pollution and waste control
   13. The identification of vCJD
   14. Victims and their families
   15. Research
   16. Some general lessons

1 Introduction
   Our task
   The structure of the Report
   Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
   Transmission to humans
   The story in a nutshell

2 Setting the context
   The cattle industry
   Slaughterhouses
   Renderers
   The animal feed industry
   The meat industry
   The pharmaceutical industry
   Other uses of bovine products
   Government and BSE
   Handling risk

3 The early years, 1986-88
   Identification of a new disease in cattle
   Restraints on information
   What was the cause of BSE?
   The ruminant feed ban
   Human health implications

4 The Southwood Working Party and other scientific advisory committees
   The Southwood Working Party
   Other scientific advisory committees

5 The animal health story
   Ruminant feed ban
   Introduction of the animal SBO ban
   The operation of the statutory animal SBO ban
   Responsibility
   Monitoring
   Did the provisions of the animal SBO ban matter?
   Why did it take so long?
   Two fundamental issues
   Conclusions
   Cattle-tracking
   Breeding

6 Protecting human health
   Introduction
   CJD surveillance
   Slaughter and compensation
   Introduction of the ban on Specified Bovine Offal (SBO) in human food
   BSE and human health in 1990
   The false peace - 1 January 1991 to 31 March 1995
   Chinks in the armour - April-December 1995
   The final months

7 Medicines and cosmetics
   Medicines
   The medicines licensing system
   Medical devices
   Phase 1: the initial response on veterinary medicines
   Phase 1: the initial response on human medicines
   Phase 2: preparing joint guidelines, January-March 1989
   Phase 3: implementing the guidelines after March 1989
   Overview of the way the guidelines were implemented
   Research into pharmaceuticals
   Cosmetics and toiletries

8 Occupational risk
   Those at risk
   ACDP advice to laboratories, medical workers and undertakers
   The issue of guidance to schools about dissecting bovine eyeballs
   Overview of occupational health

9 Potential pathways of infection
   Consideration of an audit of the uses of cattle tissues

10 Pollution and waste control

11 Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
   Wales
   Scotland
   Northern Ireland
   Collective government and working relationships

12 Science and research
   Scientific conclusions about BSE
   Alternative theories
   Research

13 What went right and what went wrong?
   A recipe for disaster
   The identification of the disease and its cause
   The Government's response
   Shortcomings and possible reasons for them
   Individual criticisms: redressing the balance

14 Lessons to be learned
   Episodes in the BSE story

Annex 1: : Procedures adopted by the BSE Inquiry
   Thoroughness and openness
   Fairness

Annex 2: : Individual criticisms
   The early years
   The Southwood Working Party
   Protection of animal health, 1989-96
   Protection of human health, 1989-96
   Medicines and cosmetics
   Potential pathways of infection

Glossary

Who's who

Index