Objectives of the meeting
Emerging infectious diseases in livestock are on the increase in the European Union (EU), as well as the rest of the world. In the last four years, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Bluetongue and Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease have had a profound effect on farmers and the food supply chain. And the trend continues with other emerging (or re-emerging) diseases like Peste des Petits Ruminants and Sheep and Goat Pox. Proven strategies exist to help control the impact of emerging and re-emerging diseases, including surveillance, epidemiological modelling, animal movement control, biosecurity and vaccination. Appropriate vaccines are not always readily available, however, especially in emergency situations.
IABS recognizes the financial and animal welfare consequences that result due to this gap between the (re-) emergence of an infectious animal disease and the availability of appropriate vaccine(s) in the EU. To help address this gap, the IABS is conducting a conference on the topic, which will take place on 25 and 26 March 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO EMERGING INFECTIOUS ANIMAL DISEASES
After a review of the current legal, regulatory, epidemiological and economic landscape in the EU, the conference will sponsor presentations from a series of expert speakers from different EU stakeholders that will analyse the issues preventing (or delaying) access, availability or use of relevant vaccines. Regulatory procedures, economic incentives and disincentives, surveillance policies and legal and policy framework will be examined by the presenters with careful attention to barriers that must be addressed to expedite vaccine availability and improved emerging disease control. Regulatory officials, disease control experts, veterinarians, academia, animal health companies, and allied industries will all participate in this phase of the meeting.
The conference will conclude with an open general session allowing all participants to input. The aim will be to propose practical solutions that should lead to having relevant vaccines more quickly available in the EU in case of emergence or crisis.
