The importance of research for developing standards to control animal diseases: the role of the OIE
Communication by Stefano Messori, World Organisation for Animal Health
Feed-a-Gene/SAPHIR session "Multidisciplinary approaches for improving sustainable livestock production: research needs, opportunities and difficulties" held on 30 August 2018 at the 69th EAAP meeting in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Chair: Jaap van Milgen, INRA, Feed-a-Gene project coordinator & Marie-Hélène Pinard-van der Laan, INRA, SAPHIR deputy coordinator
The World Organisation for Animal Heath (OIE), is the intergovernmental organisation responsible for improving animal health and welfare worldwide. The OIE was established in 1924, and it has today 181 Member Countries. Recognised as reference by the World Trade Organization, the OIE develops standards designed to prevent and control animal diseases including zoonoses, to ensure sanitary safety of world trade. The Sixth Strategic Plan of the OIE for the period 2016-2020 outlines the need for continued development of standards and guidelines based on science for the management, control and/or eradication of disease, including zoonoses, taking into account economic, social and environmental factors. Scientific research is key to find effective ways to prevent, control, and eradicate pathogens posing threats to both animal and human health. National and international research collaborations are fundamental for ensuring the timely delivery of needed disease control tools, greatly contributing to protect animal health. The OIE is actively supporting research collaboration and coordination through its participation in the STAR-IDAZ International Research Consortium on Animal Health (IRC), a global forum of public and private R&D programme owners/managers. The aim of the STAR-IDAZ IRC is to improve the control tools for a list of priority diseases/issues through the delivery of candidate vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, procedures, and key scientific information/tools to support risk analysis and disease control. Through its involvement in the STAR-IDAZ IRC, the OIE supports the implementation of research projects on topics of high interest for advancing animal health at global level.