The World Veterinary Association (WVA) and global animal welfare organization Brooke have launched the first-ever global list of essential veterinary medicines for food producing animals. The list will help to improve access to safe and effective medicines and vaccines for veterinarians around the world and act as a valuable tool to help respond to the global threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and to support pandemic prevention preparedness plans under development.
The list contains core medicines and vaccines, selected for their relevance, efficacy and cost effectiveness by expert working groups. The phase 1 of this important project provides the essential medicinal needs of equids, large ruminants, pigs, goats and sheep. Phase 2 has started and focuses on poultry, rabbits, while phase 3 will follow with the inclusion of aquaculture and bees.
Dr. Olatunji Nasir, WVA’s Pharmaceutical Stewardship Working Group Chair, said ‘The EVML will help veterinarians and authorities in making better choices of medicines, biologics and vaccines supply, fitting to local needs. As veterinarians we are gatekeepers of the next pandemic because of the profound roles we play in the control of zoonoses, this is a responsibility that we share with authorities and agencies in our various jurisdictions. Together, we stamp our feet in the one-health pathway.’
Dr. Shereene Williams, Brooke’s Senior Manager of Global Animal Health, added ‘We are incredibly proud to have led the development of the EVML alongside the WVA. This list is the product of global veterinary expertise and collaboration and is a critical first step in ensuring all animals around the globe have access to medicines and vaccines to keep them healthy and minimize their pain and suffering.’
Animal health, which is deeply interconnected with human and environmental health, is dependent on access to safe and effective veterinary medicines. However, in many regions around the world, these are not readily available. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around two billion people have no access to essential medicines and it is believed the issue is even worse within animal populations. In a survey of veterinarians conducted by the founders of the list, 80% of respondents felt that challenges in accessing veterinary medicines restricts veterinarians’ ability to address animal health and welfare.
WVA and Brooke’s EVML list gives regulatory authorities and governments a blueprint for countries or regions to develop their own tailored lists, considering the pathogens and diseases specific to their region. This will help ensure that medicines and therapeutics are more readily available to all veterinary professionals and help prevent future pandemics of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 and avian influenza. The list is a valuable tool in reducing the growing threat of AMR and adheres to World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) recommendations on prudent antimicrobial use.
As with the WHO’s Model Lists of Essential Medicines, the EVML for food producing animals will be a free-to-access resource regularly updated on a calendared basis, seeking global contributions to ensure its continued relevance and effectiveness.
The list can be viewed here worldvet.org/evml/
About World Veterinary Association
The WVA is the voice and unity of the global veterinary profession. Our key priority areas are Animal Welfare, Pharmaceutical Stewardship, Veterinary Education and One Health. We promote them through advocacy, education, and partnership. www.worldvet.org
