Letters to the Editor: Detection of rare brain disease is a reminder of the importance of research funding

To the editor: The knowledge that two individuals have died and another person is showing symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (“Oregon health officials investigate rare brain disease blamed for two deaths,” April 16) is daunting indeed considering its fatal symptoms. It’s also deeply concerning that this disease could move into human populations through the ingestion of contaminated deer, elk or moose meat. It is critical that government funding of research into lethal diseases continues to be monitored and not fall prey to the current administration’s fund cutting. Research into this and other such neurodegenerative health concerns must not be diminished, and the recent detections of Creutzfeldt-Jakob and chronic wasting disease are a reminder of the important need to stay alert on this front.

Elaine Livesey-Fassel, Los Angeles