Representing the Manufacturers of Animal Medicines
National Office of Animal Health Ltd
3 Crossfield Chambers, Gladbeck Way, Enfield, Middlesex EN27HF
Tel: (+44) 020 83673131 Facsimile: (+44) 020 8363 1155
e-mail: a.glennon@noah.co.uk
PressRelease
24April 2003
Medicine accessibility is key to future animal welfarestrategy says NOAH
The health and welfare of the nationsfarm and companion animals is dependent on continuing and improving access topreventive and therapeutic animal medicines, says the National Office of AnimalHealth.
In its submission to the DEFRAconsultation paper on preparing for an animal health and welfare strategy forGreat Britain, NOAH stresses that there is much scientific expertise within theanimal medicine industry, which is available to help DEFRA. The people involvedwith researching the medicines of the future are there, along with those thatknow how existing medicines can be most effectively used in particularsituations to help prevent and cure disease.
An innovative animal health industry isessential for improving animal health but the nature of disease is dynamic and,unless there is a responsive industry addressing new disease challenges,overall health status will decline. But, says NOAH, the industry cannot thriveif regulations are unnecessarily restrictive so as to prevent new medicinesfrom reaching the market that would have otherwise been beneficial to animalwelfare or to force existing medicines fromthe market because it becomes unviable to retain them. Likewise, whilemedicine use should be controlled, they should also be accessible.
Just as healthy food is produced from healthyanimals, sick companion animals cannot do their job, whether that be as trustedfriend or as assistance dog. NOAHexpresses concerns that companion animals seem to have been an afterthought tothe consultation process.
The association also highlights thecontinuing conflict over the status of the horse. Within the EU it is afood-producing species: there are moves towards identifying individual horsesas food producing animals to allow continued access to many medicines for theothers - the vast majority of which could be accurately termed workinganimals. Any strategy for horse welfare, says NOAH, must ensure horses have continued access to a full range ofanimal medicines, including, for those not entering the food chain, those forwhich a Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) is not established.
We support the Governments vision ofconsistently high standards in animal health and welfare, says NOAH chiefexecutive Philip Sketchley. We fully endorse the continuing need forresponsible use of veterinary medicines and have been very encouraged by thelatest residues surveillance figures which show that no UK authorised use of aveterinary medicinal product resulted in a residue which would give cause forconcern for human health.
However, it is important that those whodraft future regulations understand that responsible use does not always meanless use. It is as responsible to use a medicine to stop an animal getting sick vaccines for example as it is to cure a sick animal. Preventive medicinefor both farm and companion animals should be the way forward in responsiblemedicine use to protect animal health and welfare.
NOAH also stresses that it is importantfor the government to look beyond the sectors of farmed livestock and companionanimals in developing a national animal health strategy.
Account should also be taken of wildlifeas a vector of disease, says Philip Sketchley. There are already issues withTB, and the potential arrival of rabies and West Nile Virus, as well asnon-zoonotic animal diseases, shouldnot be ignored.
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Notes for editors
1. Forfurther information contact Phil Sketchley or Alison Glennon at NOAH on 0208367 3131, or by email noah@noah.co.uk orlook at the NOAH 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 has 36 corporate members and 13 associatemembers. In 2002 NOAH's members accounted for well over 90% of the 389 millionUK animal health market
3. TheDEFRA Consultation document, Preparing for an Animal Health and WelfareStrategy, is available on the DEFRA website /data/companies/images/companies/national-office-of-animal-health/www.defra.gov.uk.