SEAC Subgroups


The Chairman of SEAC can authorise the setting up of ad hoc subgroups to discharge specific tasks. Subgroups have clear terms of reference and are required to report to the main Committee. There is considerable flexibility about how subgroups are set up, depending on the issue in question. Expanded use of subgroups, as recommended in the 2002 SEAC Review, allows the Committee to delegate initial consideration of some of the highly specialised issues which require a substantial input from experts not on the main Committee.

SEAC Epidemiology Subgroup

The CJD Epidemiology Subgroup has been disbanded and reconvened as the SEAC Epidemiology Subgroup with new terms of reference to cover both the animal and human epidemiology of prion diseases. Its terms of reference are:

To report to SEAC on the significance of emerging and published epidemiological data about human and animal TSEs, and on such specific epidemiological questions as SEAC refers to it for advice.

The Subgroup meets on an ad hoc basis. After meetings the Chair of the Subgroup reports to SEAC. Reports were given at SEAC 88; minutes of SEAC 88 (88 KB) SEAC 89 (75 KB)and SEAC 90 (217 KB).

The Subgroup produced a position statement on the vCJD epidemic. The statement will be kept under review in light of emerging scientific findings.

Membership of the SEAC Epidemiology Subgroup

Professor Graham Medley (Chair)
University of Warwick

Professor Sheila Bird
MRC Biostatistics Unit

Dr Azra Ghani
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Professor Noel Gill
Health Protection Agency

Professor Peter Smith
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Dr Hester Ward
National CJD Surveillance Unit

Professor John Wilesmith
Defra


SEAC Sheep Subgroup

The Sheep Subgroup was convened in April 1999 to review progress on research and surveillance programmes for TSEs in sheep and goats, and recommend further work needed. The Subgroup recommended that a long term control and eradication plan for TSEs in sheep should be established.

The National Scrapie Plan (NSP) was initiated on the basis of this recommendation. The approach of the NSP was endorsed both by the SEAC Sheep Subgroup and SEAC, prior to the launch of the NSP in July 2001.

Since 2001 the Sheep Subgroup has met on an ad hoc basis to consider emerging scientific data relevant to the NSP. In December 2002 the Sheep Subgroup issued a statement, endorsed by SEAC, on susceptibility of different genotypes in sheep to experimental BSE.

In July 2004, the Sheep Subgroup considered options for the NSP in the light of current scientific knowledge as part of Defra’s consultation of stakeholders on future NSP strategy. A statement, endorsed by SEAC, was issued to Defra in October 2004.

In December 2005 the Sheep Subgroup responded to a consultation by Defra on a TSE breeding strategy for rare breeds of sheep.

In January 2006 the Sheep Subgroup considered whether new data on atypical scrapie change the risk basis underpinning the NSP, flock control and relevant sections of the TSE Roadmap. In addition they considered what additional information would be necessary in order to improve assessment of the risk for animal and human health. A position statement (81 KB), endorsed by SEAC, was published on the SEAC website in February 2006.

In October 2006, the Sheep Subgroup considered the science underpinning the Ram Genotyping Scheme and Welsh Ewe genotyping Scheme. A statement (97 KB), endorsed by SEAC, was published.

Professor Chris Higgins (Chair of SEAC) is the Chair of the Sheep Subgroup. Membership of the Subgroup depends on the topics for consideration. The Subgroup comprises a core of SEAC members and co-opted experts drawn from the veterinary, TSE surveillance, TSE pathogenesis, epidemiology, prion genetics, TSE testing, protein chemistry and mathematical modelling fields.

The current terms of reference are:
To review new research findings and to assess the scientific implications of these results for the National Scrapie Plan.

 

SEAC ad hoc Epidemiology Subgroup on UK BARB cases

Cases of BSE in cows born after the 1996 reinforced feed ban are known as BARB cases.

At SEAC 80 (Nov 2003) it was recommended that further investigations, such as a case control study, are important to aid understanding of BARB cases. The ad hoc Epidemiology Subgroup on UK BARB cases was convened with the following terms of reference:

  • To provide scientifically based advice on the design of an epidemiological study to examine and distinguish the various hypotheses for the source of infection of BSE in BARB cattle in the UK

  • To advise on the type of statistical analysis of the surveillance data, collected half-yearly by the State Veterinary Service
  • To recommend and prioritise further work that should be undertaken to help resolve outstanding epidemiological issues identified by the expert group.

The Subgroup convened in March 2004 to discuss the plans for, and preliminary design of, a case control study.

The Subgroup reconvened in April 2005 (102 KB) to comment on the preliminary findings of the case control study of the BARB cases and to consider what further analysis was needed. The Subgroup’s recommendations were endorsed by SEAC in April 2005.

The full committee was updated on further progress on the case control study at SEAC 88 (June 2005). Minutes (88 KB) of SEAC 88 are now available.

SEAC was informed that the further analyses of the case control study data, recommended by the Subgroup, had been completed. The committee noted the findings of the study. No further meetings of the ad hoc Epidemiology Subgroup on UK BARB cases, set up to advise on the design of the case control study, will be required. Results of additional ongoing studies on BARB cases will be reported directly to the main committee.


Membership of the SEAC ad hoc Epidemiology Subgroup on UK BARB cases

Professor Noel Gill (Chair)
Health Protection Agency

Professor Valerie Beral
Cancer Research UK, Radcliffe Infirmary Oxford

Professor Sheila Bird
MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge University

Professor Simon Cousens
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Professor Nick Day
Strangeways Research Laboratory, University of Cambridge

Dr Paddy Farrington
Open University

Mr. Peter Jinman
SEAC

Professor Graham Medley
SEAC

Professor Dirk Pfeiffer
Royal Veterinary College, London

Professor Peter Smith
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Professor John Wilesmith
Defra


Page last updated: 5 March, 2008