Following yesterday’s post, I came across this article in today’s Globe and Mail. The article talks about a vaccine for cattle that would reduce the risk of E. coli to consumers that has been developed by a Canadian company, Bioniche Life Sciences Inc.
Bioniche has a food safety division, which (according to its website) “is responsible for researching, developing, manufacturing, and marketing veterinary biopharmaceutical products to address diseases in livestock which may have an effect on human health”. Now that’s what I’m talking about – Bravo!
Bioniche is trying to get the federal government to vaccinate all Canadian cattle (to the tune of approximately $50-million yearly). The government is balking at the price tag because (according to the government) key industry players aren’t convinced the science supports the success of the vaccine, and because of logistical concerns. Some say that money would be better spent educating Canadians on how to properly handle and cook meat.
So where does this leave us? It looks like there may be something to Bioniche’s vaccine, but that further study (including its effects in humans) is needed.
Where would you prefer the government invest – in working with Bioniche to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the vaccine (and making improvements if needed), or in educating Canadians on proper meat protocol?
For what it’s worth, my money’s with the vaccine.
CFIA can put all the programs into plant processing inspection that it wants but where humans are involved there is always a chance of error. I believe a good part of the current ecoli mess lies with cattle producers. Their cattle are the source of this bacteria so why not begin at the source? We know we have a safe and effective made-in-Canada vaccine that sheds ecoli in cattle by up to 98 %. It would cost $50 million to vaccinate the Canadian herd. And it’s not all about meat, fecal contaminated runoff from cattle gets into our garden crops, our drinking water. Of course, we also need to be vigilant when cattle are shipped to feedlots and processing plants but it all begins on the ranch. Cattle farmers know ecoli doesn’t make their herds sick so they don’t bother to pay the $10 per head for the vaccine. If the processing plant is shut down and the export market had dried up it the beef producer might rethink that one. And a government subsidy of $50 million is cheap when we look at the $200 million cost of recalls and ecoli-related health issues. Australia has approved import of our vaccine, do has the U.K. This is Canada’s chance to shine, to lead the world in eliminating what is becoming a real distrust of our food safety system.
Thanks so much for your post – I’d love to talk to you more about your vaccine… If you’re interested, please call me at the office sometime: 416 703.1100
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