UK company insists 'no breach at animal vaccine lab'

The animal vaccine company based a few miles from the foot and mouth disease outbreak in the UK insisted today there was still no evidence to link it with the case.

Suspicion has focused on the Pirbright laboratory in Surrey after it emerged the strain of the disease found in the infected cattle was the same as one used at the facility.

The site is shared between the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), a diagnostic and research centre, and pharmaceutical company Merial Animal Health, whose work includes manufacturing vaccines.

Both organisations use the strain of the virus detected in the slaughtered cattle, but both have insisted there was no evidence of breaches in biosecurity at their labs.

In a statement this morning, Merial Animal Health Limited’s managing director David Biland said investigations continue to show no failure in the plant’s procedures.

Mr Biland said the site “operates to the very highest international standards and we have complete confidence in the integrity of our operation here”.