Mad Cow Disease in the Netherlands

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how, although the media in the Netherlands inflated the real threat of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to human beings, the Netherlands still failed to respond appropriately to the sense within the public that its government had not protected it properly from dangerous foods. The paper thus highlights the need for the government to take the threat of BSE seriously, not as an immediate danger to the European public, but as a way of sustaining the public's confidence in the regulation of food safety.

From the Paper:

"The risk of human contraction mad cow disease is perceived to be high in places where its early form can be detected in livestock. Known in this context as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), consumption of meat thereby contaminated is believed to be a way of contract the fatal neurologically degenerative human disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD). Thus, when reports surfaced of contamination found in meats allegedly originating on Dutch farms, the outcome was a dramatic response from various governments within Europe, amongst EU agencies and sectors of various national publics, all of which responded to the threat with an immediate forbearance from meat. The question must be posited, however, with regard to its dramatic spread in the public discussion forum, as to whether the response has thus far been appropriate or properly measured from within the Dutch government."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bio-Medicine. (2006). Second case of 'Mad Cow' disease in Netherlands. Bio-Medicine.org. Online at http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Second-Human-Case-of--u2018Md-cow-u2019-Disease-In-Netherlans-11544-1/
• Fabi, R. (2003). US battles global fallout from mad cow disease. IOL. Online at http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=143&art_id=qw1072268103651B253&set_id=1
• Gallagher, P. (2004). Dutch curb blood donation due to mad cow link. Planet Ark. Online at http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/28549/story.htm
• James, B. (2001). Tissue Tied to Mad Cow Is Found in Some Beef From the Continent : Risky Meat In Imports Angers U.K. Farmers. International Herald Tribune. Online at http://www.iht.com/articles/2001/03/03/hoof.2.t_1.php>.
• Kyodo News Service (KNS). (2001). Japan bans Dutch pork over foot-and-mouth. News Library.com. Online at http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=BBAB&d_place=BBAB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F97A02453F54528&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

More papers on Mad Cow Disease in the Netherlands:

• Analytical Essay # 111790 : "Mad Cow Disease"
• Essay # 37489 : "Mad Cow Disease and McDonald's"

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