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Authoritative new website launched for control
of Foot and Mouth Disease and Classical Swine Fever
Editorial
Filed 19 Jul 05
©www.land-care.org.uk
A new website has recently been launched to facilitate
communication at all levels in relation to the control of important
livestock diseases: namely, Foot and Mouth (FMD) and Classical Swine
Fever (CSF). The website is called:
http://www.fmd-and-csf-action.org
The website is backed by an international group
of partners, all authorities in the field. These include the Institute
of Animal Health (IAH), the World Organisation for Disease Control
(OIE), the Veterinary Laboratory Agency (VLA) and the European Commission
for the Control of Foot and Mouth Disease (FAO EUFMD), among others.
The website already contains much useful information
and provides links to get even more. Such dissemination of information
is important if only because so many stakeholders are likely to
be involved in future decisions, some of which will have to be made
in emergency situations. Certainly, the better informed everybody
is the better are these decisions likely to be.
Land-Care on its own website intends to run articles
from time to time in relation to the content of www.fmd-and-csf-action.org.
The first of these articles is likely to be on diagnostic testing
for FMD virus - something that still does not seem to get enough
research and development, or international agreement, for it to
appear as a clear and credible entry in contingency planning. If
vaccination against FMD is to be a credible part of emergency action
in the event of a further outbreak of FMD within the EU, time is
of the essence.
Whether or not the new website will help speed
up rational decision making within the EU remains to be seen. If
it does, that would be a great achievement. Certainly, the setting
up of the new website is an important step in the right direction.
©www.land-care.org.uk
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