Bovine TB: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB
The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) is a group of independent scientists who advise the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how best to tackle the problem of cattle TB.
For ease of administration, this ISG section of the Defra website is organised by Defra officials, but this in no way alters the validity of the preceding statement on the independence of the ISG, who are solely responsible for its content.
In their own words:
'The Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB was set up following the acceptance by Ministers of the recommendations contained in the Krebs Report (1997). From this it was clear that the problem of TB in cattle was extremely complex, still poorly understood and that previous policies to control the disease had been inadequate. It recognised that substantial further work was necessary if an informative framework was to be established that would be adequate to underpin an effective policy to control the disease in the future.
'The role of the ISG is to provide the scientific base for such a policy. From the outset we have adopted a holistic approach, recognising that sustainable control policies could only be achieved through a better understanding of the epidemiology of TB in cattle and wildlife reservoirs. Implicit in our approach is the recognition that the widespread elimination of badgers from large tracts of the countryside would not be politically or socially acceptable, hence we have sought to explore a much wider consideration of the problem and its possible solution(s)'
From the Second Report of the ISG, December 1999
Latest news
30 July 2007 - A list of the 1,723 papers 
(570 KB) prepared for discussion and as record of the 103 formal ISG Meetings from February 1998 to May 2007, and the Group’s 5 Open Meetings, is now available. Requests for copies of the papers listed will be handled in line with the access to information legislation, and may be refused if it is considered that responding to the requests would cause a significant diversion of the Department's resources. A fee may be payable to cover administrative costs. Papers that contain scientific manuscripts that are in press, or have yet to be submitted for publication, will not be released until the papers are published in the scientific press.
For requests up to 30th September, please contact the ISG Secretariat, Defra, Location 107, 1A Page Street, London, SW1P 4PQ (telephone 020 7904 6057).
After 30 September 2007, please contact Defra, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR (telephone 08459 33 55 77).
3 July 2007 - The Minutes of the ISG's last two Open Meetings (London on 19 June, Cardiff on 21 June) have been published.
2 July 2007 - The minutes of all 103 formal meetings of the ISG are now available. These can be obtained in pdf format by e-mailing: isgsecretariat@defra.gsi.gov.uk or by writing to ISG Secretariat, Location 107, 1A Page Street, London, SW1P 4PQ.
27 June 2007 - The publication on 18 June 2007 of their Final Report to Ministers concluded the ISG's work on the randomised badger culling trial and, as a consequence, the ISG is to be dissolved on 30 June. Individual Members of the ISG are still preparing a number of publications to be submitted to scientific journals and other papers are in press, awaiting publication. The ISG website will be retained by Defra at this location for the foreseeable future.
18 June 2007 - The final report (2.5 MB). Please note this is a large file) of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG), presented to the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, is now available. A press release (19 KB) is also available.
A written Ministerial Statement by David Miliband on the publication of the Independent Scientific Group report 183/07 is available here.
- Membership of the ISG
- Working procedures
- Code of practice
- ISG publications
- Published data
- Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT)
- June 2007 - Final report (2.5 MB)
- January 2006 - Fifth
Report
(48 KB)
- February 2005 - Fourth
report
(715 KB)
- August 2001 - Third report
(535 KB)
- December 1999 - Second report.
- July 1998 - First report. A summary is also available.
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Page last modified:
July 30, 2007