Peter Lurie

About the author: Peter Lurie is a physician, public health researcher, and the deputy director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group.

The United States has not been aggressive enough in the fight against mad cow disease. Unless the government becomes more vigilant, the disease will likely find its way into America's food supply. Immediate action by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to regulate dietary supplements, which may contain infected bovine materials imported from countries where mad cow disease has been diagnosed. The FDA must also insist on stricter compliance with the ban against commingling feed intended for ruminants (cattle, goats, and sheep) with feed intended for nonruminants. Feeding ruminant parts to ruminants was how the mad cow disease epidemic spread in England. Finally, the U...