Innovation and cooperative approach essential for One Health

A cooperative approach to further innovation in animal and public health is necessary. Hand-in-hand with consumer acceptance of new technologies, it is also essential to foster a harmonised and predictable regulatory framework in which innovation should be a key focus. With added challenges such as the development of antibiotic resistance or the spread of zoonotic diseases, it is clear that only by working together as one — locally, nationally, and globally — can we hope to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment.

The One Health concept has been operative in animal health innovations for decades, but there is a clear need for further understanding and appreciation for the concept amongst the medical profession and the general public. We are pleased to see increasing collaboration between the WHO, OIE and FAO to identify high priority issues in the One Health arena and IFAH-Europe lends its full support to these efforts. With ever more people working in either the animal or public health sectors adopting a One Health mindset, there is greater opportunity to address challenges occurring at the interface between humans, animals and ecosystems, to facilitate the adoption of new technologies for animal and human disease and to communicate on the contributions of the animal health sector.

Excerpt originally appeared in the International Federation for Animal Health, Europe Annual report 2015. Available at: http://www.ifaheurope.org/annual-report-2015/