Ban Expanded to Avert ‘Mad Cow’ Risk

In a bid to preempt “mad cow” disease, Japan barred medicine and cosmetics makers from using animals and animal parts from 28 countries. It also banned the importation of intestines from countries where animals are at risk. The disease is thought to cause a brain-wasting variant in humans. Since 1996, Japan has banned the use of cattle from Britain, where the disease was first reported. The expanded ban includes France, Switzerland, Ireland, Oman, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Yugoslavia and Germany.