EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE THE COMBAT OF INFECTIOUS ANIMAL DISEASES
13 February 2008
A European Parliament hearing on 13 February hosted by Mrs. Avril Doyle, Member of the European Parliament, will debate the Community Animal Health Strategy and EU scientific innovation.
Senior Commission officials will present the Animal Health Strategy and how it will be implemented via the different EU Research and Development programmes. Experts from international and European animal health and agricultural organizations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will highlight the threats posed by infectious animal diseases in Europe and beyond. Experts from Dow AgroSciences, a leading agricultural solutions provider, will present the latest developments in vaccine technology, as enabling tools to achieve the goals of the Community Animal Health Strategy.
The European Commission recently published the Community Animal Health Strategy, to respond to the threat of animal health diseases between 2007 and 2013. The strategy places a strong emphasis on prevention. Apart from precautionary measures such as control and surveillance, a main focus of the strategy lies on the promotion of science and innovation to develop technologies and strategies to develop effective vaccines.
The European Commission has recently placed particular importance on fighting the bluetongue virus. This disease affects sheep and cattle and can cause death or substantive weight loss among the infected animals. The virus has already spread widely across Europe and the estimated losses for European agriculture are significant. To fight bluetongue the Commission will make funds available to co-finance an emergency mass vaccination campaign. Experts agree that vaccination is the most effective way to fight bluetongue and it is assumed that about 120-150 million doses are needed in 2008 to contain the disease and minimise its impact.
Further efforts are needed to develop sufficient quantities of efficacious and cost effective vaccines. This hearing will contribute towards the debate on the development of novel vaccines and their role in safeguarding European agriculture from these debilitating animal health diseases.
For further questions and registration please contact arne.koeppel@iscintelligence.com.
Senior Commission officials will present the Animal Health Strategy and how it will be implemented via the different EU Research and Development programmes. Experts from international and European animal health and agricultural organizations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) will highlight the threats posed by infectious animal diseases in Europe and beyond. Experts from Dow AgroSciences, a leading agricultural solutions provider, will present the latest developments in vaccine technology, as enabling tools to achieve the goals of the Community Animal Health Strategy.
The European Commission recently published the Community Animal Health Strategy, to respond to the threat of animal health diseases between 2007 and 2013. The strategy places a strong emphasis on prevention. Apart from precautionary measures such as control and surveillance, a main focus of the strategy lies on the promotion of science and innovation to develop technologies and strategies to develop effective vaccines.
The European Commission has recently placed particular importance on fighting the bluetongue virus. This disease affects sheep and cattle and can cause death or substantive weight loss among the infected animals. The virus has already spread widely across Europe and the estimated losses for European agriculture are significant. To fight bluetongue the Commission will make funds available to co-finance an emergency mass vaccination campaign. Experts agree that vaccination is the most effective way to fight bluetongue and it is assumed that about 120-150 million doses are needed in 2008 to contain the disease and minimise its impact.
Further efforts are needed to develop sufficient quantities of efficacious and cost effective vaccines. This hearing will contribute towards the debate on the development of novel vaccines and their role in safeguarding European agriculture from these debilitating animal health diseases.
For further questions and registration please contact arne.koeppel@iscintelligence.com.