VIRUS TESTING DEMAND: Farmers call for independent FMD test result verification
Farmer-led initiative FMD Response SA is calling for South Africa’s foot-and-mouth disease test results to be verified independently, as the initiative claims that the Agricultural Research Council, which conducts FMD testing, has a conflict of interest as a vaccine producer. The call came amid the suspension of acting chief executive officer of Onderstepoort Biological Products Jacob Modumo.
South African farmers are calling for independent verification of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) test results, claiming a conflict of interest exists with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), which conducts the testing. FMD Response SA, a farmer-led initiative, argues that the ARC, as a vaccine producer, cannot provide unbiased information on vaccine efficacy.
The ARC is tasked with tracking and responding to FMD outbreaks in South Africa, including conducting testing and vaccine-matching studies. However, Andrew Morphew, a spokesperson for FMD Response SA, contends that the ARC should not be responsible for both testing and producing vaccines, as this creates a potential conflict of interest.
FMD Response SA suggests that samples from South Africa's FMD testing be sent to The Pirbright Institute's world reference laboratory for independent verification, ensuring that vaccine manufacturers have access to accurate information about circulating strains and vaccine effectiveness.
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