I must disagree with your editorial which states that if a person is diagnosed with CJD as a result of the new tonsil test, then they should be told (January 15).

Certainly their GP should know, but telling people the results should be optional at the request of the patient, as the knowledge would be impossible for most of us to live with.

The real scandal about nvCJD is that so far the drug companies with all their resources have done very little to find a solution or treatment for this disease, because they cannot see a guaranteed profit in a cure until they know the numbers affected. I find this very short sighted.

Meanwhile, York schools are right to keep beef off the menu for children, as they are more liable to infection than adults, and there is still a residue of infection in the national beef herd.

Certainly it is down in number, but there are still infected animals which are not showing symptoms in the herd, as medical statisticians have proved. These number 3,000 animals - low, but not zero.

Chris Clayton,

Hempland Drive

York

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