OIE message at IFAH* General Assembly:
More research needed on Animal Health

Brussels, Belgium, 13 March 2007: The members of the International Federation for Animal Health, IFAH, met in Brussels on 7 March for their 17th General Assembly. IFAH invited the General Director of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Dr. Bernard Vallat, to open the meeting and address the industry. Both organisations signed a renewed cooperation agreement and affirm their will to collaborate on common issues of concern such as the prevention and control of existing and emerging animal diseases through vaccination and the global need for medicines.

As Dr. Vallat explained: “Nearly 40% of the backyard chickens in Africa died of Newcastle disease. Proper management of strategic stocks of vaccines in developing countries is now crucial. More initiatives are also needed to improve the use of veterinary products in those countries, in accordance with OIE quality standards.”

The OIE stressed its positive cooperation with IFAH through initiatives such as the European Technology Platform for Global Animal Health (ETPGAH) and IFAH’s contribution to some of the OIE working groups. The OIE sees the ETPGAH as an important advance to increase the development and availability of new medicines.

The ETPGAH is a joint initiative of industry and the research community actively encouraged by the European Commission services. Led by IFAH-Europe, it integrates all relevant stakeholders at EU and national levels, from academia, research, farmers, veterinarians, industry, consumers, regulators, etc and representatives from international organisations such as the OIE, FAO, and non-European countries.
Dr. Peter Jones, IFAH Executive Director, said "It is  important to see IFAH affirming its role as a trustworthy organization that can work and come up with practical solutions rapidly, as we have been able to show in 2006 with avian influenza. Close cooperation with OIE is one of the cornerstones of IFAH's work with international organisations and crucial to ensure a consistent policy for Animal Health on the global level.”

Dr. Bernard Vallat and George Gunn, IFAH President, signeda newofficial Agreement of cooperation between the two organisations. The document renews the 2002 agreement and reaffirms the OIE and IFAH’s will to continue cooperation on matters of common interest like the harmonisation of regulation of veterinary products, the need for further research to counter animal diseases, and aspects of food safety and hygiene.

During the Board meeting, George Gunn reported on achievements and activities in 2006, and outlined IFAH’s current and future strategies. He was delighted, he said, to report the successful completion of a range of activities in relation to regulatory affairs, the use of antimicrobials and the work of the Avian Influenza task force in developing and disseminating accurate and up to date info about the disease. (available on the IFAH website)

George Gunn announced the election of four new Board Members to support him achieve IFAH’s future objectives: Mr. Juan Ramon Alaix (President of Pfizer Animal Health), Mr. Joachim Hasenmaier (Head of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health), Mr. Raul Kohan (President of Schering-Plough Animal Health) and Mr. Lykele van der Broek (Head of Bayer Animal Health Division).

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Note to Editors:
IFAH, the International Federation for Animal Health, is the organisation representing manufacturers of veterinary medicines, vaccines and other animal health products in both developed and developing countries across five continents. Its goal is to promote a harmonised, science-based regulatory and trade framework, and marketplace environment that supports an animal health industry which is economically viable and innovation driven, contributing to a healthy and safe food supply as well as a high level of animal health and welfare. For further information on IFAH, please visit http://www.ifahsec.org.

For further information on the topic of this press release, please contact:
Bernd Halling,
IFAH Communications Director
Rue Defacqz, 1 - B-1000 Brussels
Tel.: +32 (0)2 543 7575
Fax : +32 (0)2 5370049
E-mail: b.halling@ifahsec.org