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>> [GAVEL] >> CHAIR HANSEN:
THE MEETING OF THE
HOUSE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES FINANCE DIVISION WILL COME
TO ORDER. FOLKS
WILL HAVE A SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS TODAY FROM THE
UNIVERSITY MINNESOTA AND THEN AT THE END OF SESSION WE WILL BE
CONSIDERING HOUSE
FILE 80 WHICH HAS BEEN HEARD
AND REFER THAT TO THE WAYS AND
MEANS COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE HAVE A
QUORUM HERE. IS THERE SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MOVE
THE MINUTES?
REPRESENTATIVE SUNDIN >> REPRESENTATIVE SUNDIN: MR. CHAIR I GLADLY MOVE THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING. >> CHAIR HANSEN:
REPRESENTATIVE SUNDIN MOVES THE MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY; AYE. [CHORUS OF
AYES.] OPPOSED? TO
HAVE IT CONGRATULATIONS ON ADOPTING THE MINUTES. >> [GAVEL] >> CHAIR HANSEN:
''S AFTERNOON WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
A PRESENTATION AT THE
UNIVERSITY MINNESOTA
AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE FOLKS HOLDER QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'VE A NUMBER
OF PRESENTERS. I'M GOING TO START WITH DEAN TREVOR AM
ES FROM [INAUDIBLE] MEDICINE AND DR.
MARK -- FOR THE
CENTER FROM INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY.
GENTLEMEN; WELCOME TO
THE COMMITTEE. >> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR; HANSEN
ANY MEMBERS I AM A [INAUDIBLE]
IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE AND VISIT
WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE. SINCE OUR
LAST DISCUSSION OF OUR MENTAL
POLICY COMMITTEE. SOME OF YOU ARE PRESENT FOR
THAT DISCUSSION WITH SOME OF YOU
WERE NOT. HE WILL TRY TO COVER
IMPORTANT POINTS AVOID
UNNECESSARY REDUNDANCY.
AS I MENTIONED AT THE
LAST HEARING; [INAUDIBLE] WAS CONTACTED
BY A NUMBER OF LEGISLATORS OVER THE LAST ARE REQUESTING OUR INVOLVEMENT IN
A SOLUTION FOR THE CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE ISSUE. SINCE
OUR PRESENTATION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE HAVE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND DISCUSSED THIS PROPOSAL IN
MORE DETAIL
IN MANY EXCELLENT QUESTIONS
HAVE EMERGED. WE ARE
BROUGHT ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE TODAY TO TRY TO ENTER THOSE QUESTIONS. I'M JOINED BY PROF. MICHAEL -- FROM THE SCHOOL
PUBLIC HEALTH AS
WELL AS PROF. [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
AND PROFESSOR TO HAVE IT FROM THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.
AS WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME; CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE WITH CWD PRESENT
A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO OUR WILD AND
FARM POPULATION
. IT'S
A PROGRESSIVE FATAL DISEASE THAT AFFECTS THE BRAIN; SPINAL CORD AND MANY OTHER TISSUES OF FARM
AND [INAUDIBLE] DEER ELK
AND MOOSE. IT CAUSES NEUROLOGIC DYSFUNCTION AND SIGNIFICANT
WEIGHT LOSS. LEADING TO
DEATH. CWD
LONGS TO A FAMILY OF
DISEASE CALLED
PRION DISEASES
WERE TRANSMISSIBLE
SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY OTHER
TSES INCLUDE MAD COW
DISEASE; [INAUDIBLE]
MICHELLE JACOB DISEASE IN
HUMANS AND
VARIOUS [INAUDIBLE] OR THE HUMAN FORM OF MAD COW DISEASE. THE
DISEASE CAUSING AGENTS OF CWD THE PROTEINS
[INAUDIBLE] SALIVA
FECES AND URINE FROM INFECTED ANIMALS ARE CONTAINED IN MUSCLE AND OTHER
ORGANS. TODAY; AS WE DISCUSSED LAST SUMMER; THERE'S NO
IMMUNOLOGIC EVIDENCE
OR REPORTED CASES FOR THE RECURRENCE OF CWD IN PEOPLE
AND IT'S
NOT KNOWN IF PEOPLE CAN
GET IN ACTED WITH A CWD PRION BUT THERE'S SOME EXPAND MENTAL STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN TRANSMISSION OF CWD PRIONS 2
PRIMATES AND HUMAN CELL LINES WHICH
RAISES CONCERNS. SINCE 1997 THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION
HAS RECOMMENDED THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE DISEASE
CAUSING PRIONS FROM ENTERING THE HUMAN
FOOD CHAIN. AS OF AS OF AUGUST
1; 2018 THERE IS NOW
2026 COUNTIES IN 23 STATES WITH REPORTED CWD IN THE
FREE RANGING
SERVICE. THIS INFORMATION WILL OBVIOUSLY
BE UPDATED AND ALL THE DATA
FROM THE
FALL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS ARE INCLUDED. IN THE LAST 3 YEARS MINNESOTA
DNR IDENTIFIED 35 WILD
DEER OUR CAUSES FOR CWD. MANY COUNTIES
IN WISCONSIN IN
SOUTHER
N WISCONSIN; ARE NOW ENDEMIC WITH LARGE POPULATIONS OF DEER BEING POSITIVE FOR CWD IN THESE
INFECTED COUNTIES IN
WISCONSIN OF ONLY BECOME POSITIVE SINCE EARLY 2000 COULD IN MINNESOTA ARE DNR AND BOARD OF
ANIMAL HEALTH
WORK JOHNNY TO MONITOR AND
CONTROL CWD
[INAUDIBLE]. SO THE FUNDING WE ARE REQUESTING IS TO DEVELOP A
MORE RAPID TEST THAT COULD BE USED
TO
DETECT THE [INAUDIBLE] DISEASE IN
LIVING ANIMALS; HARVESTED DEER; FARM DEER; THAT HAVE DIED OR SLAUGHTERED
AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING CAN WE BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF TESTING IS NEEDED TO ALLOW MORE TIMELY TESTING OF HUNTER
HARVESTED DEAL; MAKING CONSUMPTION OF CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE POSITIVE DEER
LESS LIKELY.
DR. AUSTER HOME WILL DISCUSS POTENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE TO HUMANS AND MORE DETAIL BUT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP THIS AGENT OUT OF THE HUMAN
FOOD CHAIN. THE TEST WE ARE PROPOSING
WILL ALSO ALLOW
THE DNR TO DEAL WITH
CARCASS DISPOSAL IN A MORE TIMELY FASHION AND
ALSO ALLOW ACTIVE MONITORING OF
FARM [INAUDIBLE] PRIOR TO DEATH IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION RISKS AND ENHANCE MONITORING EFFORTS
WILD POPULATIONS. I WOULD LIKE
TO ASK DR. AUSTER HOME
TO MAKE REMARKS ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
YOU WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE FACULTY DISCUSSING
THE STATUS OF OUR
CURRENT TESTING AND THE TEST WE ARE PROPOSING
TO DEVELOP
THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE FACULTY WILL ALSO
BE JOINED BY THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND
ENGINEERING FACULTY
WILL DISCUSS THE ENGINEERING ASPECT OF THE TEST WE
ARE PROPOSING. DR. AUSTER ON. >> TESTIFIER: THANK YOU
>> CHAIR HANSEN: DR. AWESOME
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR; MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE; IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE BACK BEFORE YOU AGAIN AND LET
ME SAY THIS WITH SOME REFLECTION THAT I'M HERE TO SHARE
WHAT I AM TODAY 34 YEARS AGO
THIS MONTH I SAT IN THIS
VERY ROOM. VERY
SIMILAR SITUATION TRYING TO OFFER PERSPECTIVE ON HIV OR AT
THAT TIME;
JUST AIDS. IT'S INFECTION AND WHAT A MINE IN TERMS OF
OUR FUTURE. THAT WAS A SOBERING PERSPECTIVE
AND UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS A SIMILAR LEVEL OF CONCERN; I WILL OFFER PERSPECTIVE THEY
WHICH IS NOT ROSY ABOUT THE SITUATION
BEFORE US. TO BEGIN WITH; LET ME JUST
REMIND EVERYONE
AS PROF. AMES HAS INDICATED; THIS IS NOT A NEW SITUATION
. FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED IN 1967 IN YOUR GEAR
IN COLORADO [INAUDIBLE] WAS
ALREADY DISCUSSED. HOWEVER;
THERE'S BEEN SUCH A WIDESPREAD TRANSMISSION REALLY IN THE LAST 8 TO-10 YEARS THAT A CHANGE THE SITUATION IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL
HUMAN EXPOSURE WITH
NO TRANSMISSION AT LEAST 24 POTENTIALLY 26
STATES INTO PROVINCES
IN CANADA. THIS CHANGES THE
ENTIRE PICTURE.SINCE CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE IS FOUND TO CAUSE INFECTIONS
IN HUMANS;
STILL A NUMBER OF HEALTH AGENCIES HAVE TAKEN THE STANCE
THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSUMING CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE TYPE OF ANIMAL MEATS.
SINCE 1997
WHO WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SEGMENT OF
THE AGENT
IN PRION DISEASE SHOULD NOT ENTER THE FOOD CHAIN. LIKEWISE; THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION THE UNITED STATES
BOTH CANADA IN CANADA AND
RELEASE [INAUDIBLE]
INCLUDING MINNESOTA SEGMENT PEOPLE SHOULD
NOT CONSUME NATIVE ANIMAL FOUND TO
BE POSITIVE FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CASES BY THESE LIQUIDATIONS; THE ALLIANCE FOR
PUBLI
C WILDLIFE PRODUCES ROUGH ESTIMATES SUGGESTED THAT ANYWHERE FROM 7000
>> TESTIFIER: IF AND 15;000 CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE POSITIVE ANIMALS
HAVE BEEN
CONSUMED ANNUALLY WITH A NUMBER EXPECTED TO INCREASE UP TO 20%
PER YEAR. OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC POLICY EXPENSE OF BOVINE
SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHYENCEPHALOPATHY OR MAD COW DISEASE IS OFTEN KNOWN IN EUROPE; PRIMARILY THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD BE A WARNING TO US TODAY POTENTIAL HARBINGER OF THINGS TO COME
WITH REGARD TO CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN
HUMAN
INFECTION. [INAUDIBLE] WAS FIRST DOCUMENTED IN BOVINE IN 1986.
OFFICIALS AS WELL AS
AGRICULTURAL [INAUDIBLE] STATED THAT THE BSE
INFECTED COUPLE WAS SAFE TO EAT. THEY CLAIM THE SO-CALLED
[INAUDIBLE] PRIONS WOULD PREVENT TRANSMISSION FROM
INFECTED CATTLE AS A RESULT
OF CONSUMPTION MEET. I WAS ASKED TO SERVE ON 2 DIFFERENT REVIEW GROUPS BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT BETWEEN
1986
AND 1996 AS OF THE FIRST HUMAN CASES AND EACH OF THOSE
DELIBERATIONS WE CAN
DONE STRONGLY
THAT THERE WAS A GOOD LIKELIHOOD THAT HUMAN IN FACT COULD
BECOME INFECTED
WE WERE CONSIDERED THE
BAD NEWS[INAUDIBLE] AT THE TIME
TO 1996 4 OUT THE TRUTH AS IT WAS IN
FACT [INAUDIBLE] TRANSMISSION DID SO THE CLAIM THERE HAS TO BE
TRANSMISSION TELLS US LITTLE PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT IF YOU JUST TAKE A BSE ISSUE OR MAD COW DISEASE IT WAS 10 YEARS FROM ONE OF HER SHOWED UP TO
THE FIRST HUMAN CASES SHOWED UP THIS IS WHERE THE CHARGES WE HAVE TODAY THE RAPID ESCALATION OF NUMBER OF CASES
OF BSE
IN CATTLE. THERE'S NOW BEEN MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE WITH BSE INFECTED EXPOSURE IN EUROPE
WHO DIAGNOSED
WITH VERY
[INAUDIBLE] DISEASE AND WE ESTIMATE THAT
THERE ARE ONLY 1% OF
THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE INFECTED THAT ACTUALLY ALREADY
HAVE SHOWN THE DISEASE AND THERE'S NOW SOME EVIDENCE THAT THEY MAKE ACTUALLY HAVE
LATE ONSET OF PRION RELATED DISEASE AND SO WE ARE
NOT DONE SEEING WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN
IN EUROPE WITH
THIS ISSUE. RAPID
RELIABLE TESTING FOR CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IS
APSLEY CRITICAL TO PART OF WHAT WE MUST BE DOING. SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE
THAT ARE READILY AVAILABLE AND
UTILIZE TEST THAT WE CAN FIND ARE
AVAILABLE. THEREFORE; IF THESE
[INAUDIBLE] CAN TEST THEIR MEET WE CAN ELIMINATE THE EXPOSURE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE PRIONS. THIS OF COURSE MEANS THE TESTING HAS TO BE ON QUICKLY
VERY RELIABLY; AND IN NO WAY HINDERS THE MOVEMENT OF THAT ANIMAL
TO PROCESSING.
ALTHOUGH THE
TESTS ARE OFTEN NOT CONSIDERED FOOD SAFETY TEST THAT WE HAVE TODAY; RESULTS ARE NOT DETECTED WHICH IS
HIGHLY UNLIKELY THE TEST WE DO HAVE THE PRIONS ARE
NOT PRESENT IN THE ANIMAL IF IN FACT IT'S TESTED.
A
S DEAN AMES HAS SAID; WE SURELY NEED A NEW AND BETTER
TEST METHODS TO FACILITATE WHAT WE
ARE DOING. MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCE CONNECTS CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE SURVEILLANCE
[INAUDIBLE] AND HAS DONE SO FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS. MINNESOTA CURRENTLY HAS A MANDATORY SOON TO BE
TESTING IN [INAUDIBLE] MANDATORY TEST AND IMPLEMENT IN BOTH ESSENTIAL AND NORTH CENTRAL REGIONS FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY
OF CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE ON FARMS AND ALL THAT ARE HARVESTED IN THE REGION
ARE [INAUDIBLE]ARE REQUIRED TO BE TESTED IN THE
SOUTHEAST REGION STARTED CONDUCTING MANDATORY CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE TESTING AFTER ROUTINE SURVEILLANCE DETECTED
2 POSITIVE WILD DEER AND FILLMORE COUNTY. FOR
THIS REASON
TESTED CONDUCTED ON THE OPENING 2 WEEKENDS
OF THE FIREARM SEASON ADDITIONALLY CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE EASES ON WAS CREATED FOR
THE EPICENTER OF THE NATIONAL FASHION?
HERE'S HARVESTED [INAUDIBLE] IT CANNOT BE REMOVED UNTIL THE TEST RESULT IS RECEIVED. W
E MUST BOLSTER THIS PROGRAM SUBSTANTIALLY. I GIVE THE
MINNESOTA DNR
GREAT CREDIT THEY WANT TO BE
THE DNR'S IN THE COUNTRY GROSS [INAUDIBLE] DOES NOT BAR WE NEED TO DO.
MINNESOTA OFFERS
VOLUNTARY CW TESTING FOR YOU THERE ARE HARVESTED OUTSIDE THE MANDATORY SURVEILLANCE REGION. I JUST WANT TO TEST THE DEER CW CAN PAY
A FEE AND SET A SAMPLE TO THE [INAUDIBLE] TEST
RESULTS TYPICALLY ARE SENT BACK TO 2 --
3 WEEKS. WE HONESTLY NEED BETTER
TESTING METHODS [INAUDIBLE]
HARBOR TO
DEER [INAUDIBLE]
STILL LIES WITH
A HUNTER. AGAIN; WE NEED MUCH
MORE ACTIVE
AND EXPERT INSISTENCE IN
THE AREA. LET ME SUMMARIZE BY SAYING IS MY BEST
PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT BASED ON MY PUBLIC HEALTH
EXPENSE EVALUATINGCFD TRANSMISSION TO HUMANS IN THE 1980S
AND 90S THAT MY EXTENSIVE REVIEW AND
EVALUATION OF
LABORATORY RESEARCH
STUDIES ATTEMPTED TO FIND THE EXTENT OF THE
HUMAN SPECIES. FOR PREVENTING
CHRONIC
WASTING TRANSMISSION THAT IT
IS PROBABLE THE HUMAN CASES CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE CONTAMINATED MEAT WILL BE DOCUMENTED IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
IT'S POSSIBLE A NUMBER OF HUMAN CASES WILL
BE SUBSTANTIAL AND WILL NOT BE ISOLATED EVENTS.
THIS REASON
MUST BE A MAJOR INTERMEDIATE EFFORT MEMBER
PUBLIC HEALTH AND NATURAL RESOURCE AGENCIES TO ACHIEVE
THE PUBLIC [INAUDIBLE] ENDEMIC SERVED CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE AS POTENTIAL RISK OF HUMAN CWD INFECTIONAND WE MUST PROVIDE EXTENSIVE AND RELIABLE AND RAPID CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE PRION
DETECTION TESTS BEFORE THE DEER ARE MOVED PROCESSED OR CONSUMED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> CHAIR HANSEN: THANK
YOU DOCTOR.AS
I MENTIONED; WE ARE GOING TO HOLD
THE QUESTIONS
AND WE WERE NUMBER PRESENTERS AND THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS
FOR MEMBERS. NEXT UP IS JERRY
--. DOCTOR. YOU CAN ALL COME UP IF YOU LIKE.
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR; MEMBERS
THE COMMITTEE MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE]
MY ONLY FUNCTION HERE IS
TO INTRODUCE
DR. SHAFFER WHO IS A PATHOLOGIST AT
A LABORATORY WHO MANAGES
ALL THE IMMUNE IS THE HISTORY
DIAGNOSTIC TESTING CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE. IN OUR
LABORATORY DOCTOR. >> TESTIFIER:
THANK YOU GERMAN HANSEN
AND COMMITTEE. DR.
JEREMY CHAVEZ.A PATHOLOGIST AT
THE VETERAN DIAGNOSTIC LAB AND I'VE BEEN CONDUCTING CW TESTS FOR OVER
A DECADE. THERE'S A FEW THINGS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND
.. HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT? WHAT HAS CHANGED? WHY THE REQUEST FOR A
NEW TEST? I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE'VE DONE UP TO THIS POINT AND I'M GOING TO ELABORATE ON WHY THIS ISN'T WORKING.
CWD TESTING UP UNTIL THIS POINT HAS
BEEN DONE ON
DEAD ANIMALS AND THE PICTURE YOU SEE
ON
THE SCREEN IT'S ACTUALLY A COW
BRAIN BUT IT SAYS DEAR BRAIN IT WOULD
NOT MATTER. TESTING IS DONE ON A PORTION OF THE BRAINSTEM CALL THE
BALL BACK TO YOU DON'T NEED TO REMEMBER THAT. IT JUST APPRECIATE THAT IT'S A VERY SPECIFIC PART OF
THE BRAIN. WE WILL TAKE A PART OF THE BRAIN OUT AND PUT IT
IN FORMALDEHYDE FOR 5 DAYS
CAN'T RUSH THE PROCESS IT HAS TO SIT
IN FORMALDEHYDE FOR 5 DAYS BUT OTHERWISE
ONE STICK [INAUDIBLE] EVENTUALLY. SO STEP ONE IS TO HARVEST THESE TISSUES THAT ARE REALLY DEEP IN THE HEAD
SET IN FORMALDEHYDE FOR 5 DAYS
AND THEN SEND
THEM THROUGH ANOTHER 25
STEP PROCESS
TO MAKE THE GLASS SLIDE.
SO WE ARE DOING WITH THE TISSUETHAT IS HARD
TO GET.
THE NEXT 2 SLIDES DOES BASICALLY
FOCUS IN
AND DOWN ONTO THE PORTION OF THE BRAIN CALLED THE OBEX BEFORE WE
HAD
SPECIFICALLY IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY PATHOLOGIST
WOULD LOOK AT BRAINS AND REMINDERS OF WHAT THEY WOULD SEE A SPONGY APPEARANCE. THE BRAIN KIND OF
LOOK LIKE SMASHED CHEESE. THAT'S CLEARLY NOT NORMAL.
THAT'S HOW MAD
COW DISEASEOR
BOVINE SPONGY ENCEPHALOPATHY GOT ITS NAME BECAUSE THE BRAIN
HAD A SPONGY APPEARANCE JUST ON
MICROSCOPIC EXAMS. UNFORTUNATELY; WHEN AN ANIMAL DIES IT DECOMPOSES AND CLEAR
SPACES DEVELOP AND WE CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
CLEAR SPACE BEING MAD COW DISEASE OR CLEAR SPACE
BEING DECOMPOSITION. ADDITIONAL TESTS
WERE DEVELOPED IN THE TESTS THAT WE
USED TODAY
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY. AFTER ABOUT
A 45 TO 40 STEP PROCESS AND 10-40 DAYS TO BEEN HOW
WEEKENDS FALL; WE GET A NICE LITTLE
GLASS SLIDE THAT CAN EXAMINE UNDER MY MICROSCOPE
AND AT THAT POINT ALL OF
DOING IS SCREENING THE SLIDE
FOR ANTIBODIES THAT FLAG
OR TAG
MISSILE THAT PRION PROTEINS AND AT THAT POINT THE INSPECTION IS FAIRLY
FAR ALONG
THE SIDES ARE NOT HARD
TO READ.
A LOT OF THEM TO LOOK LIKE
THIS BUT THIS IS A LOT
OF RED IN A BLUE BACKGROUND AND EVERYTHING THAT IS READ AS MIS-FOLDED PRIONS.
ONCE I DO GET THE
GLASS SLIDE RECORDED THE
VAST MAJORITY IS BEEN NEGATIVE.AS A POSITIVE
THE BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH GETS
CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY
AND THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE
TO IDENTIFY
BUT HEARD AND A LOT OF THOSE WORDS HAVE
BEEN DEPOPULATED. THAT'S THE STATE OF TESTING TO
THIS
POINT. SO WHAT DON'T WE LIKE
ABOUT IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY? WE DO EVERYTHING
AT COST AND DEPENDING ON IF WE GET
A FROZEN HEAD
THAT REQUIRES FINE AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE TO REMOVE
THOSE TISSUES OR IF WE JUST GET
THE TISSUES
;; THE COST CAN RANGE FROM 30-$80.
IT'S
SLOW. IT'S FOR -- 14 DAYS
IS INVASIVE. IT CAN ONLY BE
DONE ON
DEAD ANIMALS. IT'S A LABORATORY BASE BUT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
CAN HAPPEN AT ANY OTHER LAB IN THE STATE
OF MINNESOTA. IF YOU WANT IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY DONE FOR CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE ON
A SAMPLE THE ONLY LAB IN MINNESOTA THAT WILL DO IT IS THE VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC LAB. SO IT SOMEHOW HAVE TO MAKE ITS WAY TO ST. PAUL. IT'S A
HIGHLY TECHNICAL PROCEDURE. THE
DEDICATED SPECIALIZED TECHNICIANS TO PERFORM
AND MAKE THESE
GLASSELL SLIDES. BUT IT IS ACCURATE BUT IT IS THE GOLD STANDARD TEST
AND ARE OTHER MORE RAPID TESTS AROUND AND WHEN THEY ARE DONE
EVERYTHING USUALLY IS
CONFIRMED WITH
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY. AFTER DOING THIS FOR A DECADE
WHAT DID
WE ACCOMPLISH?
WE HAVE DEPOPULATED
SOME FARMS. THAT'S WHAT WE
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. WHEN I SAY WE SLOW THE DISEASE DOWN; NO?
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE; I JUST WATCH IT
MUCH PAST NORTH AMERICA WITHOUT REALLY ANYTHING GETTING IN
ITS WAY. SO LOOKING FORWARD
I LIKE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND
FIX THINGS AND TO FIX CWD NEED AN
AFFORDABLE TEST WE NEED A FAST TEST AND WE DID NONINVASIVE TEST
.TO BE DONE ON LIVE ANIMALS AND THINGS THAT LIVE IN MOSTLY BEHIND LIKE FECES
OR URINE. IT SHOULD BE FIELD BASED.
IT'S A BIG STATE. IT'S NOT REALISTIC TO THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO END UP IN ST. PAUL. IT SHOULD BE
SIMPLE; USER-FRIENDLYAND ABOVE
ALL; ACCURATE. SO IN ADDITION TO WHAT I
MENTIONED NOW THIS IS SOMETHING I MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS HEARING COULD ADD SOME MORE NOTES A LOT OF GOOD DISCUSSION
A LOT OF OTHER
PEOPLE. SO I JUST ONE MORE PARAGRAPH I WANT TO PRESENT.
THE FOUNDATION
OF PATIENT CARE SITS ON AN
ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS. ABOUT AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS WE CANNOT PERFORM
PATIENT CARE. IF WE ARE GOING TO
START FINDING
FIGHTING AGAINST CWD WE NEED
BETTER TESTS; PLURAL. MORE THAN
JUST ONE. WE NEED TO FIND
INFECTED ANIMALS BEFORE
THEY ARE DEAD BUT WE DON'T HAVE
A TEST. WE NEED TO KNOW HOW OTHER
ANIMALS CWD PRION AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT
BUT WE DON'T HAVE A TEST FOR THAT
.. WE NEED
TO KNOW IF THE LOCAL BUTCHER SHOP
IS CONTAMINATED AND IF IT CAN BE
EFFECTIVELY CLEANED
BUT WE DON'T HAVE
A TEST FOR THAT.
WE NEED TO KNOW IF PRIONS MOVE FROM THE SOIL
INTO PLANTS AND
POTENTIALLY ARE INFECTED BUT WE DON'T HAVE A TEST FOR
THAT. WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE
IS A DOSE OF EFFECTIVE PRION. HOW MUCH IS
TOO MUCH? A LOT
OF PEOP
LE SAY WELL IT'S IN THE SOIL BUT I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH IS IN THE SOIL AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH
IT TAKES TO
INFECT SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A TEST
FOR THAT. ALL HUNTERS NEED ACCESS TO A TEST THAT CAN BE
EASILY PURCHASED
AND QUICKLY DETECT CWD IN
THEIR DEAR BEFORE IT'S CUT UP INTO
100 PIECES IN FRONT OF THEIR FAMILY.
THOSE HUNTERS DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
A TEST. AS THIS PROPOSAL HAS
MANY POTENTIALHAS THE POTENTIAL TO ANSWER MANY OF
THESE QUESTIONS; IT IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THANKFULLY; DR. PETER AND OTHERS WILL DESCRIBE
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGY THAT IS CATCHING UP
WITH CWD AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO START FIGHTING BACK.
>> CHAIR HANSEN:
THANK YOU. DR. LARSON.
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
MEMBERS THAT MAY THINK FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO
BE HERE FOR YOU TO
NAME IS PETER LARSON DID ON THE ASSASSIN [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN 9 SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY MINNESOTA
COLLEGE OF
VETERINARY MEDICINE. THE NEW FACULTY MEMBER AND WAS RECENTLY HIRED AS PART OF THEIR AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH EDUCATION EXTENSION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
PROGRAM; THE AGREETT INITIATIVE;
BIOLOGISTS AND THESE CUTTING-EDGE GENOMIC TECHNOLOGY TO INVESTIGATE TRYING CHALLENGING BIOLOGICAL QUESTIONS COULD
CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE REPRESENTS ONE OF
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE EVER FACED
THE CHALLENGE ORIGINATES IN LARGE
PART BECAUSE THE PATHOGEN AGENT
OF CWD IS A NEARLY INDESTRUCTIBLE PRION
PROTEIN
THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] AND I CAN PERSIST IN THE ENVIRONMENT
FOR YEARS. THE
CDC FRAGMENTSWE NOT CONSUME
CWD POSITIVE
VENISON AND GROWING PUBLIC
HEALTH CONCERN. IT IS
ABUNDANTLY CLEAR [INAUDIBLE] TO CONFRONT THE CWD THREAT IN MINNESOTA.
IN ORDER TO CONFRONT CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE WE MUST BE INNOVATIVE AND MUST LEVERAGE OUR INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS.
EARLIER THIS WEEK
I TRAVELED TO [INAUDIBLE] GROUND ZERO FOR THE ONGOING CWD OPERATE IN SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA. I SPENT TUESDAY AT THE DR
FIELD OFFICE. I WANTED TO MEET THOSE IN THE
FRONT LINES THE
CWD BATTLEFIELDTO LEARN THE DNR IS DOING
ON THE GROUND; TO HELP THEM COLLECT TISSUES AS PART OF THEIR
SURVEILLANCE EFFORT AND TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THINGS WE COULD
DO TOGETHER TO CONFRONT THIS
EMERGING DISEASE. IT WAS AN
INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE IN EVER
GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF AND
RESPECT FOR;
THE CHALLENGES
THAT THE DNR AND OTHERS ARE FACING WHEN
MANAGING CWD. IF WE ARE TO BE SUCCESSFUL
WITH CONFRONTING
THIS EMERGING PATHOGEN WE
MUST LEVERAGE THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTHS OF THE DNR
; THE BOARD OF
ANIMAL HEALTH; THE
RESEARCHERS [INAUDIBLE]
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA WE MUST WORK TOGETHER
TOWARD THE RIGHT NOVEL AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. ONE AREA THAT WE
; SCIENTIST; THE UNIVERSITY MINNESOTA
HAVE RESEARCHED
STRENGTH AND IS THAT A
BALANCE OF NOVEL DIAGNOSTICS. AS WE
HEARD EARLY; FROM DR. SHEFFER'S;
THE CURRENT STATE OF CWD DIAGNOSTIC IS GRANTED CONFIRMATORY TEST CAN TAKE DAYS OR WEEKS TO CONDUCT DUCT HUNTERS TO WANT TO TEST
[INAUDIBLE] MESSAGE ARE SIGNIFICANT
WAIT TIMES TO RECEIVE A RESULT. THOSE WHO MANAGE
POPULATIONS NEED ACCESS TO RAPID LIVE
ANIMAL TEST. THOSE WHO MONITOR CWD IN A WHILE DO NOT HAVE A RAPID AND CAN
[INAUDIBLE] IS CAPABLE
OF PROVIDING
REAL-TIME INFORMATION FROM HARVESTED DEER OR FROM
THE ENVIRONMENT. WE ARE CURRENTLY UNABLE
TO IDENTIFY AND MANAGE
THE DISPOSAL CWD CARCASSES IN
OUR STATE.
IT IS NOT CURRENTLY FEASIBLE TO SCREEN FOR
CWD PRIONS
AND FACILITIES THE
PROCESS VENISON FOR
HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
A RAPID AND ACCURATE REAL-TIME
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
MUST BE DEVELOPED AND DEPLOYED TO THOSE WHO
ARE BATTLING WITH EMERGING DISEASE. WE ARE PROPOSING TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE AND NEW CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE PROTECTION METHOD THAT WILL
BE FASTER AND CHEAPER
AND CURRENT PAST TEST?
TALK ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] MINUTES OR HOURS NOT DAYS
OR WEEKS.
WE'VE DESCRIBED THE TECHNOLOGY
[INAUDIBLE] WAS WITH THE UNIVERSITY MINNESOTA OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY AND
COMMERCIALIZATION.THE TECHNOLOGY WE WERE USED TO DEVELOP THIS NEW
DIAGNOSTIC TOOL SIMPLY IS
NOT AVAILABLE IN THE RECEN
T PAST. HOWEVER; THIS TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE NOW. WE MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.
THE TEST THAT WE WOULD DEVELOP WILL HELP REDUCE THE SPREAD OF CWD AND WILL HELP
PREVENT CONTAMINATED MEDICINE FROM ENTERING OUR FOOD SUPPLY.
WE HAVE A SIMPLE
REMARKABLE
TIME OF TEAM OF CENTERS TO DEVELOP THE TEST. OUR TEAM
INCLUDES PROFESSIONAL
AND SKINNER OF
X AND EXPERT
ON PRION DISEASE WHOSE WORK ON [INAUDIBLE]
DR. JOHN BISHOP IS
AN EXPERT ON CURRENT CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE DIAGNOSTICS AT THE VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC LAB DR. DAVID SEELIG
[INAUDIBLE] PRION BIOLOGY AND EXISTING CWD
DIAGNOSTICS. DR. [INAUDIBLE] WHO IS AN EXPERT ON
MENTAL TECHNOLOGY WILL
SPEAK SHORTLY.
MYSELF; I'M IN A CERTAIN
ANIMAL BIOLOGY AND EMERGING
GENOMIC TECHNOLOGIES.
WE HAVE ALSO SECURED THE COLLABORATIVE SUPPORT
OF 2 WORLD LEADERS IN THE CWD
RESEARCH FIELD. DR.
ED HOOVER OF COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY AND
DR. CLAUDIA -- OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
TEXAS. TOGETHER
WE REPAIR TO LEVERAGE OUR
COLLEC
TIVE STRENGTHS TO DESIGN A RAPID AND ACCURATE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
THAT WILL ALSO ULTIMATELY PROVIDE A
REAL-TIME VIEW
OF CWD LANDSCAPE IN MINNESOTA
AND BEYOND. WE WILL WORK WITH
THE DNR
AND THE BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THIS TEST.
THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THOSE IN THE
FRONT LINES THE CUTTING EDGE TOOL THAT WILL HELP THEM MONITOR AND
MANAGE CWD.. THIS TOOL WILL ALSO HELP US TO LIMIT
OR PREVENT CWD PRIONS FROM ENTERING OUR
FOOD SUPPLY. LET ME BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT OF
[INAUDIBLE] INSTEAD IT'S A DEVELOPMENT OF THIS RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TEST IS A NECESSARY
AND CRITICAL FIRST STEPTHAT
IS REQUIRED TO CONFRONT THIS
EMERGING PATHOGEN.THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. OH.
>> CHAIR HANSEN: THANK YOU.
DR. APPEARED
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR; REPRESENTATIVE; THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME REVIEWING ESTATE MY NAME IS
[INAUDIBLE] I'M A PROFESSOR OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY MINNESOTA.
I JOIN
IN 2006 AND FOR THE LAST
13 YEARS
I HAVE DIRECTED A RESEARCH PROGRAM ON NANOTECHNOLOGY
MANUFACTURING AND
BIOMEDICAL [INAUDIBLE] FOR
CWD PROJECT I WAS FOCUSED
ON DEVELOPING
NEW BIOSENSORS T
HAT CAN RAPIDLY DETECT A SMALL NUMBER OF
[INAUDIBLE]. MY TEAM
WILL ENGINEER AN INITIAL PROTOTYPE DEVICE TO PROVE
OUR CONCEPTS. RAPID PRION DEDUCTION IS ACTUALLY CHALLENGING ENGINEERING PROBLEM THAT CAN BE SOLVED BY ENGINEERS OR
BIOLOGISTS ALONE. FORTUNATELY; WE HAVE A GREAT
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM TO TACKLE
THE PROBLEM. I WOULD COMBINE 2 OMENS MAINLY NANOTECHNOLOGY
AND MICHAEL
[INAUDIBLE] NANOTECHNOLOGY IS
WHAT ENABLESTHE COMPUTER INDUSTRY TO MAKE ACTUALLY SMALL TRANSISTORS AND COMPUTER CHIPS. THIS MINI
ISOLATION
PROCESS [INAUDIBLE]IN
COMPUTING POWER BY REDUCING THE COST OF CHIPS.
SAME PRINCIPLE OF MINIATURIZATION IS
ALSO BENEFIT
BIOMEDICAL SENSORS. WE MINIATURIZE SENSORS AND
SAMPLE TUBES
IN A SINGLE
MICHAEL FLUID WE CAN USE THEM TO DO THAT
BIOMARKERS MUCH FASTER AND WITH
GREATER SENSITIVITY. NANOTECHNOLOGY AND MICHAEL
FLUID
ARE [INAUDIBLE]
ARE CRITICAL FOR CWD PROTECTION AND THEY WILL
OFFER CHEAPER [INAUDIBLE] DIAGNOSTIC TEXT FOR BETTER USAGE. [INAUDIBLE] AND ARE
DEDICATED CALLED MINNESOTA NANO 2ND WHEN MICHAEL ASKED ABOUT
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY FOR
PRION DETECTION I WILL TRANSLATE THE RECIPE AND
PERFORM
THE TEST
TYPE MICHAEL FLUID CHAMBER WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO DETECT SMALL NUMBER OF PROTEIN MOLECULES WITH VERY
HIGH SENSITIVITY
[INAUDIBLE] AT THE UNIVERSITY GROUP HAS
INVENTED A NUMBER OF PATENTED TECHNOLOGIES
FOR COMPENSATING [INAUDIBLE] NO
MOLECULES WHICH WILL BE LEVERAGED IN THIS
PARTY. SO
[INAUDIBLE] IS PUBLISHED IN OVER 100 JOURNAL PAPERS AND CIVIL SUITS FOR MICHAEL ARE WORKING AT MINNESOTA COMMITTEE SUCH AS 3M
[INAUDIBLE] I THINK OUR SENSORS AND
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY YOU
WILL FIND
BETTER APPLICATIONS INCLUDING [INAUDIBLE] ALL TIMERS DISEASE
AND OTHER
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES AS WELL AS POTENTIAL COMMERCIALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES. I'M COMMITTED TO TAKE MY RESEARCH WAS UP
FOR THEIR [INAUDIBLE] BACK HAVE A REAL IMPACT FOR PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. >> CHAIR HANSEN: THANK YOU.
DR. LARSON; I THINK YOU'RE PROVIDED
A LIST OF PUBLICATIONS AS WELL
.. THAT
IS CORRECT AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE;
>> TESTIFIER: THAT IS CORRECT
[INAUDIBLE] AND PROVIDED LINKS TO PUBLICATIONS AND YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR HEAD OH; THE. >> CHAIR HANSEN: SO WE HAVE A LIST FOR QUESTIONS FIRST IS
REPRESENTATIVE CLAFLIN >> REPRESENTATIVE CLAFLIN: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR.. I WAS VERY
[INAUDIBLE] BY THE DESCRIPTIONS OF
THE DISEASE; THE LATE ONSET OF
[INAUDIBLE] DISEASE. WE KNOW THIS TRANSFERS TO PEOPLE FROM
CATTLE BECAUSE
THE BEES ENTER OUR FOOD LIKE HOW CONCERNED SHOULD WE BE
ABOUT CONSUMPTION
OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION OF NEEDS AND UP AT YOUR JOB? SHOULD I AVOID FEEDING MY FAMILY WHILE VENISON? >> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR; MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE; I WILL PROVIDE AN ANSWER TO THAT BUT YOU MAY ALSO TO BITE DR. -- UP
TO ELABORATE. RIGHT NOW WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT
CDC FRAGMENTS WE DO NOT
CONTAMINATED VENISON. THE REALITY IS
THAT IT'S DIFFICULT. WE DON'T HAVE AN
ACCURATE TEST TO CONFIRM PRESENCE
OR ABSENCE
OF CWD PRIONS AND MEET.
THERE IS
GROWING CONCERN IS DR. --
ALLUDED TO IN HIS TESTIMONY THAT
CW PRIONS
COULD INFECT HUMANS BUT THERE
IS NO
DOCUMENTED CASES. THERE'S NO PUBLICATIONS SHOWING THAT. WHAT
THERE IS; AND THIS IS
A PUBLICATION IN
THE LAST; RECENT
PUBLICATION PUBLISHED AT THE CD
WC EMERGING INFECTIOUS
DISEASE JOURNAL COULD I BELIEVE
IT SEPTEMBER; SO THAT CWD PLEASE
LINES SPECIFIC STRAINS OF CWD PRIONS
CAN CONVERT HUMAN
DION PROTEINS IN CELL CULTURE. SO THAT'S
IMPORTANT OBSERVATION. BASICALLY A
PETRI DISH. THERE'S ALSO REPORTS THAT THE STUDY
FROM CANADA WHERE THEY FED CWD
CONTAMINATED MEAT TO MONKEYS
OR CATS AND THOSE
MONKEYS DEVELOPED A NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE
THAT PAPER
IS NOT PUBLISHED
YET. THE STUDY HASN'T BEEN PUBLISHED YET. SO WHEN WE SAY THERE'S GOING CONCERN;
THAT'S WHY THERE'S GOING CONCERN. IT IS BECAUSE
THERE ARE SOME PRELIMINARY INDICATIONS THAT
THERE IS SOME LEVEL
OF RISK.
>> CHAIR HANSEN: MAYBE
DR. STEFAN --
CAN ANSWER >> TESTIFIER: MR.
CHAIR; REPRESENTATIVE; FIRST OF
ALL; AGAIN
I COME BACK TO THE
WORD PERSPECTIVE. THE ISSUE IS IF YOU THINK
ABOUT THE MAD
COW DISEASE IN ENGLAND PHOTO MANY THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS
MIDWAY INTO THE
FOOD SYSTEM OF 200 CASES OF BSE
IN HUMANS. WITH ALL THE MEAT THAT
WAS CONSUMED. OTHERS
ARE TRAGEDIES. BECAUSE A GREAT DEAL
OF [INAUDIBLE] TO THE ENTIRE MEAT INDUSTRY OF
EUROPE AND CERTAINLY CHALLENGED
A NUMBER OF
AREAS OF CONFIDENCE
IN GOVERNMENT IN THE WHOLE AREA OF AGRICULTURE. SO IT
DOESN'T TAKE
A LOT TO CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH THE QUESTION YOU ARE
ASKING IS
IS IT SAFE FOR MY CHILD TO EAT
VENISON FROM DEER? AGAIN I COME BACK
TO A
COMMENT I MADE EARLIER IN THAT IS THE FACT THAT
WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT THE MINNESOTA DNR
HAS BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE IN THIS AREA AND I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE HAD
CONTROL
OF IT TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE IS BECAUSE OF THEIR AGGRESSIVE
WORK TO DO SO AND I WOULD URGE THIS
LEGISLATIVE BODY WERE ALL
THE BODIES TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT WORK
VERY MUCH. SO FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO
IS KEEP IT TO A LIMITED NUMBER
OF ANIMALS THAT ARE INFECTED SO NO
MATTER WHAT VENISON YOU EAT
IT'S NOT EVER GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. THE 2ND AREA THOUGH IS
WHERE THEY HAVE DEFINED THE PROBLEM. MEANING THE AREA. SO IF YOU'RE IN FAR SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA RIGHT NOW
WE DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THAT AREA.
BUT IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE NEAR
CLAXTON MINNESOTA
THAT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
WHEN YOU NOW KNOW THAT YOU CAN BE MORE INFORMED BECAUSE YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR DEER TESTED IF YOU'RE CONSUMING IT FROM AN AREA
LIKE PRESTON IS SUPPOSED TO SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA. SO THE MORE SURVEILLANCE DATA THE MORE INFORMATION WE HAVE WILL HELP. SHOULD YOU EACH AND INFECTED
DEER; VENISON PART; WHAT IS THE RISK
? AGAIN YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD WE DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE OF
HUMAN CASES WITH THE PROBLEM WITH THAT. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT THERE'S A DELAY ONSET AND WE WON'T
KNOW UNTIL WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED AND THE INTERSECTION
[INAUDIBLE] SO THAT'S
OUR PROBLEM. SO TO TELL YOU
IN SHORT; IF YOU'RE EATING THE DEER FROM AN AREA WITH
CWD ACTIVITY GET
IT TESTED. DON'T DO IT.
2ND; MAKE SURE THE DEER YOU ARE EATING ALSO IS NOT
CONSULAR PROCESSING CENTER AND
MEATPACKING ENVIRONMENT FOR
CWD DEAR MINGLED IN THAT ENVIRONMENT
BECAUSE THE [INAUDIBLE]
AND OTHERWISE IF YOU'RE IN THE REST
OF MINNESOTA; I WISH YOU WELL
AND HOPE YOU ENJOYED
YOUR VENISON. >> CHAIR HANSEN:
REPRESENTATIVE CLAFLIN >>
REPRESENTATIVE CLAFLIN: IN THE
ABSENCE OF AVAILABLE TEST;
SHOULD WOMEN WERE PREGNANT OR MAY
BECOME PREGNANT BE ABOUT
CONSUMING VENISON? IS IT SOMETHING THAT CAN TRANSFER ACROSS [INAUDIBLE] OR TRANSFER
AT BIRTH?
>> TESTIFIER: FIRST OF ALL THERE'S MANY UNKNOWNS EVEN WITH THE BSE ISSUE EVEN FROM ENGLAND AND ONE OF
THINGS [INAUDIBLE]AND WE ASHLEY HAD EVIDENCE OF CASES IN HUMANS
ATTRACTED FROM HAVING A BLOOD TRANSFUSION
TODAY WE USE A
PROCESS OF BLOOD PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT
THAT ACTUALLY GREATLY ELIMINATES THAT. SO EVEN IF YOU DO HAVE A CWD IS ALL I COULD BE
TRANSMITTED ON. IN TERMS OF
THE ISSUE TO AN UNBORN CHILD JUST
HAVE NO DATA ON THAT WHATSOEVER.
I'M NOT AWARE OF
ANY EXPERIENCE WITH HER BE WITH BSE OR ANOTHER PRION DISEASE CALLED [INAUDIBLE] WHERE WE'VE
HAD EVIDENCE THAT SOMEBODY WHO IS INFECTED WITH A PRION RELATED DISEASE THEN HAD A UNIQUE TRANSMISSION ISSUE TO THE UNBORN CHILD.
>> TESTIFIER: WHEN I
SAID PROBLEM
THAT IS NOT A SILVER BULLET; IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT OBSERVATION BECAUSE WE NEED TO CONDUCT RESEARCH
AND LOTS
OF AREAS
IN THE STATE OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE COULD 12 ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT YOU JUST ASKED. SO PART OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS
THE LAUNCH OF EARLY INTENSIVE
RESEARCH EFFORT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS LIKE THAT. IT COULD BE THAT PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED AT THAT MAYBE IN A
MOUSE MODEL BUT THE REALITY IS; WE NEED TO
BE LOOKING
AT PRIMATES AND WE NEED TO
BE USING EMERGING
CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. >> CHAIR HANSEN:
REPRESENTATIVE JIM CLAFLIN >> REPRESENTATIVE CLAFLIN: A THANK YOU TO WHAT >> CHAIR HANSEN: I DO I DON'T
BEFORE
THIS QUESTION WE HAVE
GUESS HERE 11TH; 12TH GRADE STUDENTSFROM
[INAUDIBLE] WELCOME. REPRESENTATIVE BECKER-FINN. TOTHANK YOU;
MR. CHAIR.
>>
REPRESENTATIVE BECKER-FINN: THANK YOU;
MR. CHAIR I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AS FAR AS
ME PROCESSING. I THOUGHT OF
MY COUSIN DOING IT IN HIS
GARAGE OR THE PLACE WE USE
IN BEMIDJI; THE
LOCKER PLANS IN BEMIDJI WE USE
FOR MY
FAMILY'S USE AND WONDERING ABOUT
HOW EASILY IT SPREADS AND IF YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT
BECAUSE I THINK MOST OF US WHEN WE THINK OF
DISEASE TRANSMISSION WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD
AND MEAT; I KIND OF
THINK OF WHEN YOU COOK CHICKEN YOU HAV
E YOUR [INAUDIBLE] WASH HER HANDS AND YOU DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE PRIONS
ARE DIFFERENT IF
YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR; HANSEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE;
FIRST OFF ANOTHER PRION BIOLOGISTDR. --
IS
HERE AND THEY ARE
PRION BIOLOGIST
AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY BUT WHEN I CAN SAY BASED ON THE LITERATURE I READ IS THAT
THESE PRIONS ARE CONCERNING BECAUSE
THEY CAN
THEY CAN PERSIST IN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR A LONG TIME. THEY'RE
ALMOST INDESTRUCTIBLE. PART OF WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT
THE NEED TO DEVELOP
THIS TEST
DR. SCHAEFFER'S ALLUDED
TO THIS;
WHAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO WITH THIS TEST IS BASICALLY GO INTO
A PROCESSING FACILITY
LIKE THAT AND
SWAP DOWN THE SAWS OR CUTTING
TOOLS AND ENRICH THE PRIONS FROM
THE SWABS AND UNDERSTAND ABOUT
THE LEVEL OF
PRION CONTAMINATION
THAT'S THERE. AND WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT
IN CONJUNCTION WITH
OUR COLLABORATORS
AT COLORADO STATE AND UNIVERSITY
OF HOUSTON;
IN TEXAS; WE WILL BE ABLE
TO UNDERSTAND THE MINIMUM DOSE;
IS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO TALK
ABOUT; OVERTIME;
WITH A PRION LANDSCAPE
IS LIKE A
ND IF IT'S AT A LEVEL THAT'S
VERY HIGH THAT'S CONCERNING
OR MAYBE
THE CEMENT
MINIMUM THRESHOLD THAT
IS TOLERABLE AND NOT OF MUC
H CONCERN BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS; WE
DON'T HAVE
THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO THAT
AND WE ARE SAYING WE WANT TO DEVELOP
THE TECHNOLOGY
TO HELP ANSWER SOME OF
THOSE QUESTIONS. >> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
REPRESENTATIVE; IF STEPHEN CAN
PROVIDE INFECTIOUS
DISEASE W BIBLE PRIONS. THESE ARE CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES AS THEY WILL GET IT 1600°
SO YOU CAN COOK THEM AWAY. THEY'RE
VERY DIFFICULT TO DESTROY FROM A
CHEMICAL PERSPECTIVE. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
IN CASES
WHERE INDIVIDUALS WERE ACCIDENTALLY OPERATED
ON 12 SPIRITS OF PRION
RELATED DISEASE AND IN THE
PROCESS WITHIN BEEN
RELAXING UPON
SURGERY THERE AND
HAD [INAUDIBLE] MUCH OF THAT SURGICAL AGREEMENT HAD TO BE LANDFILLED BUT IT CANNOT
BE DISINFECTED. THEY CANNOT USE
IT AGAIN. SO THE POINT BEING
IS THAT IF YOU PUT THIS INTO A MEAT
PROCESSING PLANT WHICH BECAUSE OF WHAT SOMEBODY INFECTIOUS DISEASE ISSUES AROUND PATHOGENS OF THIS; THIS IS
KIND OF A
WORST-CASE NIGHTMARE. NOW AS YOU
JUST HEARD; HOW MUCH
CONTAMINATION OCCURS;
WHAT OCCURS; WAS THE LEVEL AND SO
FORTH; BUT THIS IS AN AREA OF GRAVE CONCERN AND I THINK ONE OF THE
AREAS AGAIN THE DNR HAS EMPHASIZED
HAS BEEN
NOT JUST WITH IDEA OF THE VENISON FOR THE INDIVIDUAL HUNTER BUT WHERE DOES THAT CARCASS GO
AND HOW IS IT PROCESSED AND I AGAIN
WOULD URGE [INAUDIBLE] ONGOING EFFORTS
AT EDUCATION. THERE'S A DEBATE RIGHT NOW
AND MEET PROCESSING WORLD
FOR SOME FORMS OF CLEARLY STOP
PROCESSING DEER. BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE THEY CAN DO IT SAFELY THE OTHER SAY WE CAN DO IT SAFELY AND CONTINUE TO DO. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT
SAFELY MYSELF. SO I WOULD SAY THIS IS A CHALLENGE FOR
US TO KNOW THE TRANSMISSION RESULT
FROM THAT/ WE DON'T KNOW BUT AGAIN I THINK WILL AGAIN WERE PLAYING WITH FIRE. >> REPRESENTATIVE BECKER-FINN: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR. I KNOW IN A
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION
WAS ONE STORY THAT WAS
SHARED ABOUT A ROCK
BEING ABLE TO BE
A VECTOR COULD YOU SHARE THAT?
>> TESTIFIER:
MR. CHAIR; HANSEN MEMBERS THE COMMITTEE; YES;
THERE'S [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN
VERY SOPHISTICATED
RESEARCH EXPERIMENTS
WITH TAKING ENVIRONMENT
ALL SAMPLES; ROCK; IF YOU WILL; THAT WERE
WITHIN A CWD CONTAMINATED AREA THEN PUT
THAT
SAMPLE INTO A CAGE OF A
HAMSTER MODEL THAT THEY WERE WORKING WITH AN OVERTIME THAT
HAMSTER DEVELOPED CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.
THIS AGAIN IS ON
THE LITERATURE LIST THAT I SHARED WITH YOU
. THERE ARE STUDIES
SHOWING THAT CWD PRIONS CAN PERSIST IN
THE ENVIRONMENT. THEY CAN BASICALLY ADHERE TO DIFFERENT
SOIL TYPES. THEY CAN ADHERE TO THE ROOTS OF PLANTS AND THE
UPTAKE AND INTO THOSE PLANS AND EXPRESSED IN LEAVES OF THOSE PLANTS. SO
THIS GETS AT
THE HEART AS TO WHY IS SUCH
A COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT TO MANAGE
ISSUE. BECAUSE IT
REQUIRES
EXPERTISE; COSTS ACROSS MULTIPLE FIELDS; ECOLOGY;
SOIL TYPES;
. SO; YES; THERE'S EVIDENCE
SHOWING THAT PRIONS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT ARE AT A LEVEL
OF SUFFICIENCY TO AT LEAST
IN FACT A HAMSTER
BUT AGAIN WHAT WERE TALK ABOUT HERE IS DEVELOPING A TEST TO GET AT THAT
BETTER QUANTIFICATION
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT
REALLY INFECTS DEER IN LARGE
BODY ANIMALS.
>> TESTIFIER: >> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
FOR SO I WANT TO SUPPORT THE
COMMENTS HERE.
VERY APPROPRIATE. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH AN EXPERIENCE THAT CONTINUES TO HAUNT ME
AND HAS HAUNTED ME FOR A LONG TIME. FROM
THE 26TH
2 TO 99 SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE CAN MAKE UP TALK ABOUT THIS
TIME AND TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN
PEOPLE CAME BACK
AND SAID
YOU'RE JUST SCARING THE HELL OUT OF US ALL THE TIME BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. THE 1996 CHANGE
IT ALL.
WE WATCH THOSE CASES POOR
IN INITIALLY THERE WAS
NO SATISFACTION
OF WHAT
HE SAID OVER THE LAST 10 YOU YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A PROBLEM OTHER THAN A GAME FROM ISSUE BUT YOU WILL HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO TRANSMIT TO PEOPLE AND I HOPE THEY ARE RIGHT. BUT I WOULD NOT BET ON IT
AND IF WE LOSE THIS ONE AND HAVING DONE ALL WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE JUST HEARD WE WILL PAY A PRICE.
I WORRY DESPERATELY THE WAY TO DO YOUR INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTRY THE HUNTING INDUSTRY WILL PAY
WHILE I WORRY ABOUT
THAT? WELLMUCH IS BECAUSE THE
HUNTERS BUT WHAT OTHER CONTROL MEASURES WE
HAVE TODAY TO MINIMIZE EXPERIENCE IS TO DO GOOD
HER MANAGEMENT WHICH MEANS HU
NTING IS A CRITICAL PART OF IT SO I CAN FEEL
CASCADE OF EVENTS. I THINK THIS
COMMITTEE CONSIDERS ALL THESE
ISSUES JUST
REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN ENGLAND AND ALL THE NAYSAYERS WHO SAID IT WAS DARKER BE A PROBLEM
IT IS NOTHING TO
WORRY ABOUT AND THAT BUT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH.
>>
CHAIR HANSEN: REPRESENTATIVE BECKER-FINN >> REPRESENTATIVE BECKER-FINN: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR LAST FOLLOW-UP. FOR ME; VENISON HAS BEEN
PROTEIN BASE OF
MY DIET MY
ENTIRE LIFE AND HAS BEEN FOR MY CHILDREN THUS FAR IN THEIR LIVES. SO I THINK THE REALLY IS
THE URGENCY TO
CONFERENCE OF THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING SOONER
THAN LATER.
I DEFINITELY THINK WE HAVE TO DO
A TEST. WE HAVE TO INVEST
IN THIS AND
DEVELOP IT BUT I THINK
ALL THESE DIFFERENT VECTORS OF THE WAY THAT IT COULD
BE HAVING ALL THESE THINGS WE DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO. I'M
JUST WONDERING
EVEN IF I COULD MAGICALLY GIVE YOU THE
MONEY TODAY TO START WORKING ON THIS;
IS STILL A COUPLE
YEARS OUT
.. AS FAR AS CONTAINING
THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE IN
THE MEANTIME; DO YOU
HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE IN
THE MEANTIME WHAT WERE WAITING FOR
THE TEST BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE
NEED TO
BECOME PRINCIPALLY ADDRESS THIS.
>> TESTIFIER:
MR. CHAIR; MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE; I THINK
THE EXPERTS TO HELP ANSWER
THAT QUESTION ARE GOING TO BE WITH THE DNR AND BOARD OF ANIMAL HEALTH. I
THINK THAT FROM WHAT
I SAW IN MY VISIT TO PRESTON
IN WORKING WITH THE DNR ON TUESDAY
THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB
AND THEY ARE IN TOUCH WITH
THE METHODS THAT
ARE RECOMMENDED FOR MANAGING
THIS DISEASE AND SO I THINK THAT
TO ANSWER
THE QUESTION; TALKING WITH THE DNR AND BOARD OF
ANIMAL HEALTH IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT. BUT FOR
MY OBSERVATION;
I'M VERY IMPRESSED AND I
THINK THAT WE ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB RIGHT NOW IN
THE FIELD. >> CHAIR HANSEN:
DR. >> TESTIFIER: MR.
CHAIR; REPRESENTATIVE
ME OUT A COUPLE OF PERSPECTIVES. LET ME KNOW IS
A MENTION THE PRION IS
LIMITED IN ITS
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION IN MINNESOTA BUT WE CAN'T LET FARMING SPREAD
THAT AND
[INAUDIBLE] FALL WERE IN MAY IN THAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE
AS PART OF
THE PROBLEM
HAS [INAUDIBLE] WHAT HAPPENED HAPPENED. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TOMORROW SO KEEP IT LIMITED TO THE LOCATIONS IT IS RIGHT NOW. 2ND THING IS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT I WOULD OFFER
I THINK
MINNESOTA [INAUDIBLE] FROM THE HAS TO BE INVOLVED AS
TO THE
FEDERA
L FARMERS WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW THE CDC AND I NIH AND OTHERS
BY THE CRITICAL NATURE OF THE SITUATION AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL
TIME SINCE THE PUBLIC
HEALTH ISSUE. WE MUST DO MUCH MORE IN THE WAY
OF EDUCATION. I THINK WE'VE ONLY DONE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF THAT
IS A PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY THAT ACROSS NORTH AMERICA THE PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS AND
WE CAN WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE THE FIRST CASES COMING
IN. COURSE EVERYONE WILL OVER AFTER
THAT POINT IT WILL DO TO CRONY AND THINGS AT THAT POINT. WE NEED TO TO THE
PUBLIC HEALTH SOUND PRACTICES
RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S EDUCATING ABOUT TESTING; HOW YOU CAN ACTUALLY CONSUME
STAY; VENISON BY KNOWING THEY
ARE ANIMAL IS NOT INFECTED WITH THE PRION
GOOD THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE THAT'S WITH THE TESTING PROGRAM CAN PLAY A
KEY ROLE. TESTING IS A LIMITING FEATURE BECAUSE IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TAKES TOO LONG IS TOO EXPENSIVE STOCK WENT TO GET DONE.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE TOOLS SO THAT'S NOT A REASONABLE
[INAUDIBLE] >> TESTIFIER: IF I COULD ADD ON TO A REAL QUICKLY. WH
EN ISSUE THAT'S COME OUT IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH
RESPECT TO FARM SERVICE
IS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE INSIGHT AS TO HOW THIS
PATHOGEN SPREADS WITHIN A
CONTAINED ENVIRONMENT. THAT IN THE WILD HE
WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IN THE
WILD SYSTEM IT SO BIOLOGICALLY AND
ECOLOGICALLY COMPLEX THAT IT
WOULD TAKE DECADES
TO UNDERSTAND
ROUTES
TRANSMISSION IS AND WHAT I GET SO THERE'S BEEN OF A SOMETHING THAT GETS LOST IN THIS DISCUSSION I THINK WITH RESPECT TO THE FARMAND
THAT IS
THERE IS AN INCREDIBLY
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND LOOK
AT THOSE
SITUATIONS THE TOOLS WERE
TALKING ABOUT
DEVELOPINGG. THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US AN EDGE. AS YOU GIVE US
SOMETHING THAT I THINK OTHERS MAY BE IN COLORADO OR WISCONSIN
HAVEN'T LOOKED AT AT THE SAME WAY
. SO FROM A
RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE WE NEED
TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE
OF THAT.
>> CHAIR HANSEN: THANK YOU. AS A FOLLOW-UP TO THAT;
WHEN WE NEED TO CONTAIN THOSE FACILITIES
AFTER DEPOPULATION CONSIDERING
YOUR TESTIMONY OF
INANIMATE OBJECTS IF WE HAVE TO SECURE
FOR THE RECORD REASON WE HEAR; PROBABLY. YOU HAVE
TO PREVENT CROSS CONTAMINATION
BY OTHER ANIMALS COMING
INTO THEIR? >> TESTIFIER: MR.
CHAIR;; YES.IT'S AN
EXCELLENT POINT.
CWD HAS BEEN THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT BY SMALL MAMMALS;
BY RODENTS; BIRDS COULD POTENTIALLY SERVE AS A VECTOR. SO; YES. AND
ONE ISSUE THAT IT SOUNDS
STRANGE BUT FROM A MODELING PERSPECTIVE; IF YOU WOULD TRY TO MODEL THIS PATHOGEN IN THE ENVIRONMENT
THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN THINK OF THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO
IT IS
MODELING RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL BECAUSE OF THE CONNECTION WITH SOIL
OR BECAUSE
OF HOW ANIMALS SPREAD THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT AND SO;
YES; THOSE CONTAINED AREAS THAT HAVE
CWD POSITIVE THAT
ARE CONFIRMED; THAT IS AN ISSUE. WE NEED TO LOOK AT AT
WAYS TO MITIGATE
THAT RISK AND WHAT WERE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS A
BROADER INITIATIVE. >> CHAIR HANSEN:
REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS
>> REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS:
THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT
REPRESENTATIVE FENTON
WAS ASKING.
WE KNOW THE STUDY THAT YOU'RE
ADVOCATING
FOR IS AT LEAST A COUPLE
OF YEARS
BEFORE
IT'S DONE BEFORE YOU HAVE
THIS TEST AND YOU
HAVE SAID THIS IS THE FIRST STEPAND I'M NOT
QUITE UNDERSTANDING THE GOAL
OF THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY
MEDICINE HERE. YOU HAVE
NO ROLEX OF RESEARCH? THERE'S
NO PUBLIC HEALTH ROLE? BECAUSE
LISTENING TO DR. -- AND I SEE
[INAUDIBLE] BY PUBLIC-HEALTH NATURAL
RESOURCE AGENCIES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT SUCH A. WHO ALL
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?
IS THE COLLEGE OF
VETERINARY MEDICINE [INAUDIBLE] I
DON'T UNDERSTAND.
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
WAGENIUS CHAIR HANSEN; THE COLLEGE OF
VETERINARY MEDICINE HAS A
VERY VERY LONG TRACK RECORD OF PROMOTING
PUBLIC HEALTH. THE FOCUS OF MATURING
PUBLIC HEALTH TENDS TO BE IN
THOSE DISEASES THAT ARE TRANSMITTED
FROM ANIMALS
TO HUMANS AND SO THAT CAN BE
LIKE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
JUST NOW WITH WHAT WE WOULD CALL FOR BORNE DISEASE; BUT IT CAN ALSO BE
DISEASES LIKE I TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST LIKE
AVIAN INFLUENZA AND OTHER
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES THAT WE'VE
ELIMINATED FROM
LIVESTOCK POPULATIONS IN THE
UNITED
STATES LIKE [INAUDIBLE]
AND TUBERCULOSIS TO THE WORK
OF RESEARCHERS OF
VETERINARY COLLEGES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
SO THE ROLE OF THE
VETERINARY COLLEGE IS TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION AND
THE TOOLS AND TRAIN PROFESSIONALS
SO THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO WORK IN
THE FIELD WITH
THOSE TOOLS AND HELP WITH
CONTROLLED EFFORTS. >> REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS:
LET'S ASSUME WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD
WITH THE RAPID RESPONSE. WHAT IS
YOUR ROLE
IN THESE YEARS BETWEEN RIGHT
THIS MINUTE AND TO GET TO THE
RAPID RESPONSE? JUST YOUR ROLE
RIGHT NOW GIVEN
THE TESTIMONY THAT WE HAD ABOUT THE INTERACTION WITH HUMANS.
AND WITH
OTHER WILDLIFE. WHAT IS YOUR ROLE
RIGHT NOW? >> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS; SO
THE ROLE THE VETERINARY COLLEGE
RIGHT NOW IS
TO EDUCATE AND
TRAIN PROFESSIONALS AND TRADE
ADVANCED PROFESSIONALS SO THEY CAN BE IN A PUBLIC-HEALTH EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
THAT DR. --
TALKS ABOUT. WE
DON'T HAVE ACTIVE
RESEARCH PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW
OUTSIDE OF
DR. SKINNER WAS HERE A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AGO AND IS WORKING ON
VARIOUS THERAPIES FOR PRION
BASE DISEASE AND SOME
VACCINE STRATEGIES PRION BASE DISEASES. THESE ARE VERY VERY HARD DISEASES TO WORK WITH. SO
THAT IS KIND OF THE FOCUS WHAT GOES ON.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMS WE ARE INVOLVED WITH THE TRAINING VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE UNITED STATES; THERE'S A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT TRAIN
COMBINE DR. OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND MASTERS
A PUBLIC-HEALTH
[INAUDIBLE] IN PUTTING POLICY
INTO PLACE. MANY OF
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STAFF
; VETERINARIANS THE WORK IN THE BOARD OF ANIMAL
HEALTH ARE
EDM AND PH IS THAT OF COME OUT OF OUR PROGRAM. THERE'S A NUMBER OF THE WORK IN THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. DR. OSTROM WAS NOTED FOR THE NUMBER OF VETERINARIANS HE HIRED TO WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HE WAS THERE. SO THERE'S A LOT OF
PROFESSIONS THAT ARE BEING TRADE
UNDER 70
HEALTH INFORMATION AND HELPING TO IMPLEMENT POLICY AND WE EVEN HAVE SOME WORKING IN
THE DNR.
>> CHAIR
HANSEN: DR. >> TESTIFIER: JUST
TO ADD; I'M A RECENT HARVARD I
WAS HIRED AT THE
AGREETT INITIATIVE.
PART OF THE MISSION THAT I AM TEST WITH IS
TO HELP WITH THE EMERGING PROBLEMS
LIKE THIS. SO THERE'S A COHORT OF FACULTY; NEW FACULTY; TO HELP
CONFRONT ISSUES
LIKE THIS CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE ISSUE IS PART OF THE
REASON WHY I'M HERE TODAY PART OF THE REASON
I WASWITH THE DNR ON TUESDAY. DOING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE AND WHAT ARE
SOME INNOVATIVE
STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN USE THE SUPPORT OF MY RESEARCH PROGRAM AT THE UTO HELP TACKLE
THESE DIFFERENT CORSETS. QUESTION
S. >> TESTIFIER: AS HE IS IN A VERY
IMPORTANT
TRANSITION. [INAUDIBLE]
WERE LARGELY ABOUT HER MANAGEMENT
ISSUES THAT
ARE COMMON IN THE WHITE TAILED DEER
POPULATION ISSUE. WHAT KIND OF POPULATION DO WE WANT; WHAT KIND OF THINGS FROM HUNTERS. WE HAVE SOME
EXPERTS IN THE KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN A POPULATION
THE DEBATE IS OFTEN NOT ABOUT A PUBLIC
HEALTH PROBLEM BUT ABOUT WHAT
WE DO TONIGHT DEAL
WITH THIS. DO WE GO INTO LOTS OF DATA WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO MAINTAIN IT? AND THAT MEANS YOU FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE DISCUSSION SUBSTANTIALLY. NEEDS TO BECOME A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE. TIRED OF
HEARING SUMMARY SPIRITS ARE BEING 23 DEAR THE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE POSITIVE AND LOOK AT ME.
THAT IS CRAZY AND WE SHOULD NOT TAKE THAT AS EXPERT ADVICE.
WHAT WE NEED IS
A COMPREHENSIVE
PUBLIC HEALTH HUMAN MEDICINE;
THE DNR; ALL OF US NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE
A CONVERSATION WITH THE DEER HUNTERS OF MINNESOTA
AND THOSE WHO CONSUME
THE VENISON THAT THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT AND WE CAN DO IT IN A VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND SAFEWAY.
I THINK THAT MEANS YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN
THE CONVERSATION. YOU CAN HAVE SOME WILDLIFE MANAGER FOR THE DNR
EXPECT IT TO BE THE POINT PERSON FOR ALL
THESE ISSUES. YOU CAN TRULY DO WITH
HER MANAGEMENT BUT WE HAVE TO HELP THE POPULATION. SO I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE MARKET I WOULD SAYTHE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE HAS BEEN A [INAUDIBLE] IN PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES
WILL BE CALLED HEALTH ANIMAL ISSUES AND ME TO BE PRESENT EITHER AS PUBLIC HEALTH TO GO TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE >> CHAIR HANSEN: I DO WANT TO
NOTE THAT WE ASKED FOR TODAY IS TO HAVE A CONFERENCE OF GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
REPRESENTATIVE PERSELL'S COMMITTEE
PRESENTATION HERE WAS TO
PUT TOGETHER FOR YOU HAVE HUMAN HEALTH. THE
BUDGETARY SIDE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE I KNOW IT'S BEEN HARDER
TO GET THE
SOILS AND
PLANT FOLKS WITH THE WEATHER AND TIMING
AND EVERYTHING.
SO
IN ADDITION FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE I'VE TALKED WITH
CHAIR LIEBLING AND CHAIR SCHOLZ AND CHAIR POPPE
. THIS IS REALLY A TRIANGLE HERE
OF WHERE WE ARE ALL PART OF THIS
AND
SO INTERNALLY; YOU'VE
GOT THAT GOING AS WELL SO
REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS >> REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR.
YOU DID A LOT TO ANSWER MY QUESTION BUT FEELS TO
ME LIKE YOU DO NOT HAVE A
STRONG [INAUDIBLE]
IF THIS IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THEY NEED
MORE RESOURCES. THERE'S NO QUESTION IN MY MIND ABOUT IT
IS MANY THINGS THEY SHOULD BE DOING THAT THEY'RE
NOT DOING
IS I DON'T HAVE
THE RESOURCE. YOU WON'T GET INTO THAT NOW BUT WE WILL LATER. SO
DNR; WHERE DOES THE MONEY
COME FROM? THAT'S WHAT WAS
TRYING
TO [INAUDIBLE] WERE
TO THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
COMES IN AND NOT JUST EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS
BUT EDUCATING
THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THIS IS
A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE..
SO IF IT'S ALL HANDS ON DECK; AND I THINK
IT IS;
THEN IF IT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO TELL ME [INAUDIBLE]
IT SEEMS TO ME YOU'VE GOT TO BE EDUCATING
THE PUBLIC
ABOUT THIS ISSUE
>> TESTIFIER: YOU ARE
EXACTLY RIGHT. ON MY WAY BACK FROMMY
[INAUDIBLE] WE STOPPED AT THE BELT MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. ALSO I WANT TO
WORK AS A PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENT FOR THE
PUBLIC AND
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M TRYING TO DO IN MY LEVEL
. MY LEVEL AS A SCIENTIST
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCHER. WHAT I CAN DO TO ORGANIZE THESE EVENTS AND TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE
AS POSSIBLE. I TALKED TO THE DNR ABOUT THE PUBLIC OUTREACH THAT'S
GOING ON
AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WE NEED TO TAKE
MORE STEPS TO THAT. I'M DOING WHAT I CAN AND
THAT SOMETHING
I'M GOING TO ORGANIZE THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO YOU'LL START SEEING MORE
PUBLIC OUTREACH BY FACULTY GROUP ON THIS ISSUE.
>> CHAIR HANSEN:
DR. AMES. OF THE 4 PEOPLE
ON THOSE. >> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
COMMITTEE MEMBERS; I JUST WANT TO
FOLLOW UP
IN RESPONSE TO
REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS WITH ANOTHER EXAMPLE
THAT I THINK IS USEFUL AND OF COURSE
THE POINT IS VERY WELL MADE AND TAKEN THAT
WE HAVE
VETERINARIANS WITH EXTENSION APPOINTMENT SETTER INVOLVED IN
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND TRAINING THE TRAINERS AND DISSEMINATE
THE INFORMATION IN A VARIETY
OF AREAS. SO CERTAINLY TAKE THAT AS PART OF
OUR MISSION. BUT A VERY
VERY IMPORTANT DISEASE THAT WE ALL JUST TAKE
FOR GRANTED AND ASSUMED
THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THAT THAT WE CAN
EVEN CONSIDER DRINKING
UNPASTEURIZED MILK IS
BOVINE [INAUDIBLE] AND THAT WAS A DISEASE THAT COMMONLY
INFECTED CATTLE. THEY SHARED IT INTO
THE MILK WAS VERY
COMMON THING FOR HUMAN BEINGS TO CONTRACT THAT
DISEASE EXPERIENCE A DISEASE THAT
HUMANS CALLED
[INAUDIBLE] FEVER. SO THAT
IS USED
IN A QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR OF THE DISEASE
. IT CERTAINLY EASIER TO WORK WITH BECAUSE IT WAS
A BACTERIA AND NOT THIS VERY RESISTANT HARD TO WORK WITH THE
PRION BUT HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND DEVELOPED A BLOOD TEST THAT ALLOWED US TO IDENTIFY POSITIVE CATTLE AND WAS
THAT TEST BUT THEN ALLOWED US TO
MOVE FORWARD IN THE
CONTROL PROGRAMS AND EVENTUALLY ELIMINATE
THAT DISEASE
SO THAT BASICALLY; EVERY LOCALE IN THE UNITED STATES EVERY BEEF COW IN THE UNITED STATES IS CERTIFIED FREE OF
BOVINE [INAUDIBLE]. VERY FEW COUNTRIES OUTSIDE OF
THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD CAN
SAY THAT. SO THAT'S
AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE
RESEARCH TOOLS THAT CAN DRIVE THE TESTS
THAT CAN
DRIVE THE
CONTROL PROGRAMS AND THEN GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE
PUBLIC INCUBATION.
>> REPRESENTATIVE WAGENIUS: THANK YOU. I GET THAT.
I'M A SERIOUS PROPONENT
OF SCIENCE AND ANYONE AROUND HERE WILL TELL
YOU THAT. I'M TRYING TO PIN DOWN WHAT'S GOING
TO HAPPEN BETWEEN THE TIMES
THE SCIENCE
THAT'S COMPLETED AND TODAY.
TODAY IS TODAY. WE'VE GOT TO START WITH A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
REPRESENTATIVE AGAIN YOU RAISE
AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST RESEARCH.
THIS IS RESEARCH TO PUBLIC OUTREACH AND LET ME JUST SAY;
AT THE RISK OF GETTING A
LITTLE OFF FIELD; I THINK MANY OF US WERE SET ON THIS PAST WEEK
THE PASSING OF
SEN. BENSON. ONE OF THE PAST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE WAS
WHEN SEN.
MULLEN AND SEN. BENSON IN 19 5 MADE
IT MANDATORY FOR
EVERY SEN. ALL SENATE STAFF TO SPEND A 5 HOUR
PERIOD BUT UP WITH ME IN
A ROOM TO UNDERSTAND
ABOUT HIV-AIDS AND WE HAD
WHERE MOST INFORMED LEGISLATIVE BODIES IN THE WORLD
IN TERMS OF CONSIDERING HIV
RELATED LEGISLATION
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY; LEADERSHIP IN
THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE FRANKLY IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. [INAUDIBLE]ARE WATCHING THIS LIFE WERE DRAWING ATTENTION TO THIS
VERY ISSUE AND I THINK LEGISLATORS HAVE TO BE EDUCATED ON THIS IN A BIG WAY BECAUSE
WITH ITS WHITE TAILED DEER MANAGEMENT WAS HAPPENING AT LOCAL AGRICULTURE SITE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE PROCESSING; IT'S ALL ABOUT
COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP. SO I
CONGRATULATE YOU
FOR HELPING TO ELEVATE THIS ISSUE
AND FOR Y'ALL TO BE PART OF THIS
DISCUSSION; TOO.
THOSE LOCAL MEETINGS WE NEED TO HAVE YOU THERE; TO AND IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT. SO I THINK
WE EXCEPT AT THE UNIVERSITY IT'S NOT JUST
OKAY WELL
WILL [INAUDIBLE] WE ARE HERE TODAY I PROMISE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON THIS ISSUE AND WE WELCOME THE PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE LEGISLATORS HERE; TOO; TO ALSO HOPING FOR
MINNESOTA CITIZENS BUT
WHAT'S HAPPENING. >> CHAIR HANSEN: THANK YOU.
REPRESENTATIVE PERSELL >>
REPRESENTATIVE PERSELL: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR I BELIEVE WAS
DR. LARSON EARLIER STATED THAT HER
CURRENT IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY IS THE GOLD STANDARD. IS
THAT ACCURATE/ JUST GIVE YES OR NO I HAVE A FOLLOW.
>> TESTIFIER: [INAUDIBLE]
>> TESTIFIER: YES. THAT
IS CORRECT. >> REPRESENTATIVE PERSELL: AND THATGOLD IS WORTH
95%;90% STATISTICALLY; DO YOU HAVE
A NUMBER?
>> TESTIFIER: 90%. IT'S AN
IMPORTANT TEST.
>> REPRESENTATIVE PERSELL: IN MY FOLLOW-UP THEN IS FROM MR
. CHAIR; SO YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE
CHEMISTRY OBVIOUSLY.
IS THAT THE FUTURE THE CHEMISTRY?
>> TESTIFIER: YES.
IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
PRION BIOLOGY
. HOW THOSE PRIONS; THE CHEMISTRY YOU ARE ALLUDING TO HOW
THAT WORKS
TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF
TTOOLS WERE TALK ABOUT HERE. >>
REPRESENTATIVE PERSELL: I'M SPECIFICALLY GOING TO A RAPID
TEST HERE. YOU KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT
THE CHEMISTRY AND YOU CAN USE THAT BECAUSE WITH THE RAPID TEST
THAT'S REASONABLY THE DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING?
YES OR >> REPRESENTATIVE PERSELL:
THANK YOU. >> CHAIR
HANSEN: REPRESENTATIVE
LUECK >>
REPRESENTATIVE LUECK: THANK YOU;
MR. CHAIR
[INAUDIBLE] AND CONSUMED A FAIR AMOUNT OF THEIR BEEF IT WILL
IT DID MATCH THE QUALITY WE ENJOY YOUR ON THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT; AND I ALSO STILL WAYS BEEF CATTLE
I WATCHED AND PARTICIPATED IN A VARIETY
OF WAYS WITH ISSUE WE HAD
WITH BSC [INAUDIBLE] IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN TO SWEEP IN
THE BACKGROUND AND
I GUESS WHAT I CAN SEE
MISSING HERE;
THOSE FOLKS WITH THE DMV
HAS OFF BECAUSE
THE REASON THAT THERE IS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. MY REAL
QUESTION IS WHERE ARE THE USDA PEOPLE WERE THE ME PROCESSING PEOPLE BECAUSE WE WENT TO
UNBELIEVABLEEXCRUCIATING EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT THE
PUBLIC SAFETY FROM THE ISSUE OF BSC
; ONE; AND
THAT MADE BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE A
LOOK AT AND THE OTHER ONE IS WE'VE GOT SOME VERY STRICT
WORLD PROTOCOLS WITH
DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK THAT WOULD'VE
A VARIETY OF DISEASES AND BSC BEING ONE OF THEM.
WE SLAMMED
THE BORDE
SSHUT [INAUDIBLE] SO WHAT ARE WE DOING AND THIS MAY BE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WE NEED TO DO
TO BRING IN HERE. WHAT ARE
WE DOING ON A MORE
GLOBAL SCALE? THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION CAN
TAKE OFF ANYTHING YOU BETTER DO AND BETTER NOT TOO RELATIVE TO BSC IN A VARIETY OF
THINGS. SO WE GOT SOMETHING
LIKE THAT
ON THE NORTH
AMERICAN CONTINENT? A [INAUDIBLE] THAT SAYS HERE'S THE REAL DEAL IS WHAT WE KNOW IN HIS WILL WE CANAND CAN'T DO?>> TESTIFIER:
MR. CHAIR;
REPRESENTATIVE; I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION YOU
ARE ASKING WHAT IS THE
BSC PROGRAM OR WHAT DOES THAT
LOOK LIKE?
>> REP
RESENTATIVE LUECK: NO I UNDERSTAND WITH TH
E PROGRAM IS FOR BSC. WE'LL TALK ABOUT IS
THE OF A
SIMILAR SITUATION WITH PRION
DRIVEN DISEASE. WE HAVE GOT A PROTOCOL
IN PLACE [INAUDIBLE] WE DEAL
WITH BEEF AT THE PACKING LEVEL AT THE
BORDERS INTERNATIONALLY; AT THE WORLD HEALTH LEVEL. DO WE AT LEAST HAVE WHAT
WE KNOW AND THE PROCEDURES
IN PLACE ON THE NORTH
AMERICAN CONTINENT FOR CHRONIC
WASTING DISEASE? I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE ANYTHING AT THE
INTERNATIONAL LEVEL BUT THERE'S
A HUGE SET OF THINGS THAT YOU
CAN'T DO
TO DO WOULD BE
FOR EXAMPLE AND PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THAT
ARE DIRECTING RELATED
TO [INAUDIBLE]
GETTING INTO
PEOPLE'S DIET. >> TESTIFIER: SO;
>> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR;
COMMITTEE MEMBERS; THERE IS AND TO ANSWER QUESTION THERE ISN'T REALLY ANYTHING IN PLACE FOR CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE. USDA DID OVERSEE CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE TESTING. THEIR FUNDING
DRIED OUT
. PRIORITIES CHANGED AND THEY
PUSH THATCWD TESTING RESPONSIBILITY ONTO THE STATE LEVEL TO OUR BOARD OF
ANIMAL HEALTH
DEEMED IT IMPORTANT AND KEPT IT IN PLACE BUT OTHER STATES
DID NOT. WHEN COMPARED TO MAD
COW DISEASE
; ANY COW I GET INTO THE LAB
THAT'S OVER 2 YEARS OLD THAT
IS ANYTHING POTENTIALLY WRONG WITH ITS BRAIN HAS TO BE TESTED FOR BSC. THAT DOESN'T APPLY FOR DE
ER. SO BRIEFLY; TO ANSWER QUESTION NO; THERE'S REALLY NOTHING IN PLACE FOR CWD. >>
REPRESENTATIVE LUECK: HERE AGAIN MR. CHAIRMAN; THAT'S THE POINT
I COULD'VE TOLD YOU
THAT. SIMPLY BECAUSE I'M PART OF
THAT INDUSTRY AND I WORKED WITH THAT INDUSTRY
WOULD BSC
AND THE POTENTIA
L HEALTH'S [INAUDIBLE] AND WE'VE GOT A LOT
OF PROCEDURES AS YOU
JUST ARTICULATED.
SO THAT'S A WHOLE AREA WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON
THAT STARTS
FROM THE RURAL HEALTH CENTER ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LOCAL MEATPACKING PLANTS.
SO AGAIN [INAUDIBLE] A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE BEEN
THERE BEFORE ON THIS
TYPE OF [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO AS BEST WE CAN MANAGE
IT AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH
>> CHAIR HANSEN: REPRESENTATIVE LUECK I KNOW CONGRESSIONAL STAFF IN THE AUDIENCE AND THERE HAVE BEEN
SEVERAL BIPARTISAN PIECE
OF LEGISLATION SOMEONE ASSESSMENTS ON RESEARCH SOMEONE REIMBURSEMENT
FOR THE FISH AND
WILDLIFE AGENCIES. I
THINK THAT
AGAIN MINNESOTA CAN BE A
LEADER HERE
BUT WE ARE PART OF A
BIGGER PICTURE. I KNOW
MY COLLEAGUES AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN OTHER
STATES NOTE THAT I TALK TO ARE
VERY CONCERNED AND OFTEN ARE LOOKING
TO MINNESOTA ON THINGS
LIKE THIS. SO
I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST
OF PROBABLY
SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS ON THIS
BUT WE WANT TO GET THE SCIENCE YEAR
I THINK THE SCIENCE LEADS TO
MORE QUESTIONS. REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN >> REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR. TO THAT POINT
[INAUDIBLE] WHAT HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN HIS
AG COMMITTEE.
GENTLEMEN; THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU AND APPRECIATE THE UPDATE THAT WE GOT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO
. ONE OF THE THINGS I'M LOOKING AT IS THE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
THE PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION SHEET
THAT FOREST.
3RD BULLET POINTED TOWARDS
WHAT SOIL [INAUDIBLE] HELP ME
UNDERSTAND THIS. BECAUSE;
TO ME; IF THESE PRIONS ARE GOING TO BE IN
THE ENVIRONMENT
IT SEEMS TO ME WE HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET RID
OF THEM I DON'T KNOW THAT'S
POSSIBLE BUT MAYBE SCIENCE WILL LEAD US THERE
SOMEDAY BUT I FEEL LIKE
A DOG CHASING THE TAIL HERE IF WE
DON'T DO AS WE TRIED TO DO SOMETHING BUT THE PRIONS THEMSELVES THAT EXIST OUT THERE. SO WALK ME THROUGH WHO AND WHAT IS
BEING DONE WITH
REGARDS TO TREATMENT OF THE PRIONS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT IF THAT'S
EVEN POSSIBLE? >> TESTIFIER: MR. CHAIR; HANSEN
COMMITTEE MEMBERS; YES. CWD
PRIONS CAN
BOND TO SOIL TYPES AS A BODY
OF LITERATURE
THAT DISCUSSES THAT IN A PAPER ON IT WILL TALK
ABOUT THAT..
THE INFORMATION OF THE PAPER WILL
TELL US
WILL PROVIDE CLUES THAT WE CAN MITIGATE THIS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT
. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THOUGH; IF YOU DON'T RUN PRESTON
GO OUT AND LOOK AT
THAT LANDSCAPE THAT'S
INCREDIBLY COMPLEX BUT WE
ARE DOING IN THE VETERINARY MEDICINE
COLLEGE;; ORGANIZING CWD SUPER GROUP
OF RESEARCHERS LOVE 5015
FACULTY MEMBERS GET HIM AND REACH OUT TO PEOPLE IN ECOLOGY AND PEOPLE OF EXPENSE AND SOILS AND TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THIS. THIS IS SUCH
AN IMPORTANT AND RAPIDLY EVOLVING SITUATION THAT WE
NEED TO
BRING GROUPS I GOT TOGETHER
TO ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU ARE ASKING.
SO; YES; I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE EXPERTISE AT THE UNIVERSITY 12 START TO
LOOK AT HOW THIS CAN
BE DECONTAMINATED IN A
NATURAL SETTING BUT THE BOTTOM
LINE IS; NATURE IS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX
AND THE IDEA OF TRYING TO
REMOVE PRIONS FROM SOIL FROM A DEER THAT GOES ON A 70 MILE SOJOURN; THAT'S
DIFFICULT. SO THE KEY WILL BE TO HOW CAN
WE MITIGATE THESE PRIONS WITHIN
THE FARMED DEER POPULATIONS IN
THOSE AREAS.
>> CHAIR HANSEN:
REPRESENTATIVE SANDELL
>>
REPRESENTATIVE SANDELL: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR FOR THE 2ND TIME I WILL PASS >> CHAIR HANSEN: REPRESENTATIVE
>> REPRESENTATIVE: THANK YOU;
MR. CHAIR
[INAUDIBLE] HOW CONFIDENT YOUR
TEAM IS IT CAN DEVELOP THE
DESIRED TEST WITHOUT WITHOUT
ADEQUATE FUNDING?
>>
TESTIFIER: SO; JOHANSSON MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE; WILL BE THE FIRST
TO SAY I'M VERY CONFIDENT AND
VERY EXCITED ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
IS THAT THE TEAM THAT WE
HAVE ASSEMBLED IS COVERS THIS ENTIRE
SPECTRUM FROM BIOLOGY TO
THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING OF THE TEST
AND AFTER
I'VE SEEN WITH DR. O IN HIS LAB
HAS PRODUCED I KNOW THIS IS FEASIBLE
AND I KNOW THAT THESE ARE
QUESTIONS THAT DR. O AND
HIS TEAM; HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO BE
ABLE TO HELP DESIGN
THE PROTOTYPE.. THE KEY ISSUE
IS THAT HIS WORDS WORK CLOSELY WITH A BIOLOGIST; WITH US; WITH THOSE
THAT UNDERSTAND THE BIOLOGY
OF PRIONS WORKING TOGETHER THAT'S THE WAY WE WILL PULL THIS OFF AND IT CAN ONLY BE
DONE ENVIRONMENT LIKE THE
UNIVERSITY MINNESOTA.
>> TESTIFIER: I'VE EXPERIENCE
AND EFFORT WORKING WITH BIOLOGIST AND
MEDICAL RESEARCHERS [INAUDIBLE]
SO ONCE A BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT IS READY I WILL BE THE ENGINEER FOR
IMPLEMENTING [INAUDIBLE]
I HAVE DOCTORAL AND POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH IS ALREADY WORKING MY
LABORATORY. [INAUDIBLE]
WE ALSO HAVE ALL THE
AGREEMENT NECESSARY. SO WE WILL TRY
OUR BEST TO GET THIS DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. BEECHER HANSEN
>> TESTIFIER: TESTING IS A CRITICAL
CRITICAL. HOW
[INAUDIBLE] I THINK THE
PREVIOUS QUESTION ALSO APPLY
TO THIS. RUNNING A PRION IN
THE ENVIRONMENT MAY NOT
BE ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT FROM A BIOLOGICAL STANDPOINT; WE NEED TO DO IS THE
EPIDEMIOLOGY. WHERE'S THE RISK FACTOR. THESE ANIMALS BECOME INFECTED? IS IT REALLY CELEBRITIES
SALIVA CONTACT OR IS WHAT IT WHAT'S IN THE ENVIRONMENT IMPORTANT.
I GO WITH DR. LARSON >> COMMENTED IN THE WILDLIFE
IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER TO FIND AND SOME OF THE GAME FROM SITUATIONS
WE MIGHT HAVE A GREATER CHANCE
OF [INAUDIBLE] WE KNOW FOR MANY
BIOLOGICAL AGENTS
POTENTIAL DISEASE CAUSES
JUST BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT YOU'RE GETTING SICK OR INFECTED FROM THOSE. CERTAIN EXPENSIVE HOW YOU DO IT; WAS
THE LEVEL EXPOSED TO. SO THIS THEME OF THE
UNIVERSITY ACTUALLY TRAINS BEYOND BEYOND THE BASIC R&D TO BE
APPLIED RESEARCH AND THE UNDERSTANDING AND THAT'S WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW. WHAT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE? I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL GET THIS OPPORTUNITY HERE. >> CHAIR HANSEN: THAT WAS OUR INTENT IN TRYING TO GET
A CONFERENCE OF APPROACH TO THIS. I THINK AS REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN NOTED
THAT THE
SOILS RESEARCH
ENVIRONMENTAL -- I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE COOPERATION FOR TODAY AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED CONVERSATION. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT DR. LARSON THE
THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING OUT IN THE FIELD AND THE FRONT LINES AND WHEN I BROUGHT MY DEAR IN; WITH
THE VETERINARY STUDENTS WHO COLLECTED
THE SAMPLE. THOSE FOLKS
THAT ARE TRYING TO HELP OUT; WE APPRECIATE
THEIR SUPPORT. REPRESENTATIVE FAB
IAN >> REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR OUR POINT OUT
TO MEMBERS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BY THE MOU THAT'S BEEN SIGNED BY DNR AND BOARD OF
ANIMAL HEALTH WITH
REGARDS TO CWD I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND I APPLAUD [COUGHING]
ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GET IT DONE. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR HANSEN: THANK YOU
AND WE HAVE AN ITEM OF BUSINESS WE NEED TO DO BEFORE WE THE END OF THE
DAY HERE. BEFORE THE END OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT UP WE HAVE HOUSE FILE 80
BEFORE THE END OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT UP WE HAVE HOUSE FILE 81ST DIVISION ENGROSSMENT THIS BILL WAS HEARD AND LAID OVER ON TUESDAY;
FEBRUARY 5 [INAUDIBLE] TAKING
PROCEDURAL ACTION TO REFER THE BILL TO WAYS AND MEANS.
REPRESENTATIVE PEPPIN WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE HOUSE FILE 80? [APPLAUSE] I MOVE HOUSE FILE 80 FOR
THE DIVISION ENGROSSMENT BE RE-REFERRED TO WAYS
AND MEANS IN A REQUEST A
ROLL CALL >> CHAIR HANSEN: REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN >> REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN: THANK YOU; MR. CHAIR SO IS GOING TO WAYS AND MEANS BUT CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE MAJORITY'S PLAN IS FOR GETTING THIS TO THE FLOOR
? I FEEL LIKE THIS BEEN KIND OF A
PING-PONG BALL IS PASSED AROUND
SOMEWHAT NEEDLESSLY AND I'M ANXIOUS TO GET
THIS DONE. MPCA HAS
DECIDED TO HAVE ONE PRIORITIES WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WITH THE MAJORITY'S PLAN IS FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE HOUSE FLOOR AND GETTING SOMETHING DONE >> CHAIR HANSEN: REPRESENTATIVE FABIAN IS GOING TO BE IN WAYS AND MEANS ON MONDAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I KNOW FROM THIS POINT ON. I THINK THERE
SEVERAL BILLS THAT ARE CALENDARED FOR WAYS AND MEANS
AND OBVIOUSLY TO DO FISCAL WORK ON IT
[INAUDIBLE] SO I'VE
NOT HAD
ANY INFORMATION ON WHEN IT WILL HIT THE FLOOR BUT I KNOW THERE'S A
STRONG DESIRE FOR US TO GET IT OUT
OF HERE INTO WAYS AND MEANS
ON MONDAY. TO ME AND I SUPPORT THAT I JUST WISH IT WOULD HAPPEN 2 WEEKS AGO. >> CHAIR HANSEN: ANY
FURTHER DISCUSSION? CLERK WILL TAKE
THE ROLL.
>> STAFF:
ROLLCALL VOTE FOR HOUSE
FILE 80 TO MOVE TO THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS HANSEN AYE;
CLAFLIN AYE; FABIAN AYE; BACKER AYE
BECKER-FINN AYE EKLUND AYE;
FISCHER AYE; GREEN AYE;
HEINTZEMAN; AYE;
LIEN AYE RARICK AYE;
WORSEN AYE;
NEU AYE; PERSELL AYE; SANDELL
AYE;SUNDIN
AYE;WAGENIUS AYE; >> CHAIR HANSEN: THE BOAT IS 10
-0 THE MOTION PASSES AND IT IS
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS.
>> [GAVEL] >> CHAIR HANSEN: 17-0.
YOU CAN'T READ YOUR OWN WRITING.
>> [LAUGHING] WITH THAT; THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. >> [GAVEL] >> [ADJOURNMENT]
>>