Prionics AG, World's Leading 'Mad Cow' Diagnostic Company, Applauds USDA's Additional BSE Surveillance Measures

    ZURICH, Switzerland, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Prionics AG, the world
 leader in testing procedures for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), today
 issued the following statement in response to the announcement by the U.S.
 Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding additional BSE surveillance
 measures:
     "Prionics praises the approach taken by the USDA and its decision to
 bolster the surveillance, detection and response program," said Dr. Markus
 Moser, CEO of Prionics.  "The USDA's additional actions will further
 strengthen U.S. prevention systems and the confidence of both consumers and
 customers around the world."
     "Prionics offers both rapid test technologies, the ELISA and the Western
 Blot, but recommends the Western Blot for the current surveillance system in
 the U.S. because of its flawless record of returning no false positive
 results," added Moser.  "False positives cause a loss in consumer confidence
 and can have a detrimental economic impact, particularly in BSE free countries
 like the United States."
     Prionics(R)-Check WESTERN is considered by many animal health authorities
 internationally to be the most accurate rapid-test procedure for BSE in the
 world.  In fact, in 2003, the USDA stated a preference for Western Blot
 technology particularly in BSE free countries.  Prionics(R)-Check WESTERN
 rapid BSE test has been used in more than 18 million of the 30 million BSE
 tests conducted worldwide between 2001 and 2003 -- without returning a false
 positive result.
 
     About Prionics AG
     Prionics AG has the largest number of scientists in the industry focused
 on BSE and works closely with a network of prion and neurological experts
 around the world.  Prionics' surveillance concept has led to the establishment
 of official EU-wide BSE screening programs in 2001, and Prionics(R)-Check
 WESTERN is the preferred test in these programs.  Prionics AG, based in
 Zurich, Switzerland, is an ISO 9001 certified company with production
 facilities in Switzerland and the U.S. and currently employs 100 people. For
 more information about Prionics, please visit www.prionics.ch.
 
 

SOURCE  Prionics AG