FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2005
Contact:  Kristen Ebersole
(717) 787-3817
kebersole@pasen.gov
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Senator Waugh Urges Support For Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission

- Audio

Sen. Mike Waugh (R-York) is urging Governor Rendell to support a review of Pennsylvania's system for responding to animal diseases that could pose a health risk to humans and serious financial losses for the agricultural community. 

Waugh sent a letter to Governor Rendell Tuesday calling for a comprehensive review of the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) to ensure that the necessary resources are available to safeguard the health of the state's animal agriculture and human communities. PADLS, the laboratory system under the Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission (AHDC) in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, is the first line of defense in protecting the Commonwealth's food animal supply. 

"Through PADLS, many of our state's top veterinarians and animal agriculture industry representatives have served the Commonwealth and its citizens well," Waugh said. "I look forward to working with the Governor to ensure that our Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission and its lab system in Pennsylvania remains a national leader." 

Waugh said that a timely reminder of the importance of AHDC and PADLS is the possibility of a pandemic bird flu infection. If the bird flu strain that has been transmitted from birds to humans were to mutate to permit human-to-human transmission, timely identification and containment would be vital to protect Commonwealth residents. 

"It is imperative that our lab system and the people who work in it have access to the proper resources, have the necessary infrastructure and be prepared in every way possible to detect any of the multitudes of dangerous transmissible and zoonotic diseases such as Avian Influenza, "Mad Cow Disease" or West Nile Virus that could pose a significant animal or human health risk," Waugh said.

CONTACT: Kristin Ebersole (717)787-3817