Representing the Manufacturers of Animal Medicines |
Press Release
15July 2003
DEFRAWELFARE STRATEGY - ANIMALS NEED MEDICINES
Prevention is better than cure.This is a major theme of the DEFRA Outline Animal Health and Welfare Strategypublished today. And animal medicines will play an important role in achievingthis objective. Uptake of preventiveanimal medicine is named as one of the ways of measuring how successfully theoutline strategy is implemented.
Welcoming the publication of the outlinestrategy, which focuses in the main on the welfare of farm livestock, NOAHchairman Bill Hird said it includes measures which will give even more support tothe work of RUMA which has long been working towards the responsible use of animalmedicines on farms.
We are very pleased to see thatthe very positive role preventive medicine can play in keeping animals healthyis an integral part of the strategy, said Mr Hird. But sometimes treatment isstill needed, even with the best farming and veterinary practice. We arepleased that the strategy also states that it is right to expect animalkeepers will have access to the products that are needed to treat disease whenit affects their animals.
NOAH will study the outlinestrategy in more detail and will be considering how it can work with itspartners in improving the health and welfare of Britains animals. We lookforward to helping this outline strategy evolve into a more detailed plan - andto seeing how it will benefit not only farm livestock, but also the health andwelfare of the nations pets and horses, said Mr Hird.
Ends
Notes for editors
1. Forfurther information please contact Alison Glennon, 020 8367 3131, or visit theNOAH website, www.noah.co.uk.
2. TheNational Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent theUK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animalhealth products. The association now has 32 corporate members and 14 associatemembers. In 2002 NOAH's members accounted for well over 90% of the 389 millionUK animal health market.
3. Outlineof an animal health and welfare strategy for Great Britain was published on 15July - see www.defra.gov.uk for moredetails.