Animal vaccination and the veterinary pharmaceutical industry

The market for veterinary vaccines is spread across species but it is limited in size and the development of vaccines is becoming more complex and expensive. Vaccines are amongst the most effective means of preventing disease in both animals and humans. In many cases, diseases have been eradicated or their impact on animal health and welfare greatly reduced, It is an ethical responsibility to ensure the availability of a wide range of vaccines even where the market needs to be financially supported, as in the case of less common animal species and those with less common conditions (commonly referred to by the acronym MUMS: Minor Use and Minor Species). Mass slaughter is becoming unacceptable to society and we must move to a 'vaccinate to live' policy wherever possible. We need to use vaccines to avoid the high costs of disease and to enhance food safety. In developing vaccines, we need to minimise animal testing. In addition, we need to ensure that the public accept the use of vaccines in food-producing animals as a means of protecting the health and welfare of all animals. As we look to the future, vaccines will be vital to ensure our ability to provide more food to a growing global population. The European Technology Platform for Global Animal Health has a key role to play in identifying key research priorities.