The major scientific questions that the inquiry should address;
	The main diseases that should be covered;
	The names of people and organisations whose views should be sought. Under this heading, please indicate whether you or your organisation will wish  to submit formal evidence and, if necessary, meet the Inquiry.

2. Early thinking and the terms of reference suggests the main scientific issues that the Committee will probably need to consider for each chosen disease are:

	surveillance: early warning and prediction; the quantity, speed and scaling up of diagnosis, and epidemiology;
	control strategies once an outbreak has occurred (cull, with or without ring vaccination);
	preventative measures including prophylactic vaccination.

It is important to remember that our terms of reference ask us to include the subsequent identification of any “actual or potential constraints such as ethics, costs and benefits, economic incentives and social concerns”.

3. The Committee intends to consult widely, and we shall issue a more detailed call for evidence after the Committee’s first meeting in October, for response by the end of November, 2001.

4. We intend to make all evidence submitted publicly available, unless correspondents expressly ask otherwise, and shall list all evidence submitted.

5. Further details of the inquiry can be found on the Inquiry’s website: royalsociety.org/inquiry

The Inquiry’s postal and email address, telephone and fax numbers are: