Animal medicines Dispelling the consumer myths. AHDA Conference 28 January 2013 Phil Sketchley Chief Executive National Office of Animal Health
NOAH s Mission The National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) represents the UK animal health industry. NOAH promotes the development and use of safe, effective, quality medicines for the health and welfare of all animals. NOAH is a founder member of RUMA and Associate member of IGD
Why are we here? Excerpt from NOAH launch brochure, 1986 Nothing changes!
What did the quotation actually say? Misunderstandings can occur among the public about the need for animal health products. NOAH supports and welcomes informed debate, but it will at all times support that which has been scientifically tested and approved against ill informed comment
What did the quotation actually say? The main concern of AH companies is to produce safe products for livestock and consumers. The development of new products requires a huge financial investment (c $100M and many years work (8-12 years). That investment could be lost at a stroke if the product fails to come to market because of political expediency or the manipulation of consumer fears. If this threat grew too great, companies could be deterred from entering into long term research and animal, farmers and consumers would suffer. Through liaison with opinion formers, decision makers, government officials, the veterinary profession, distributers (SQPs) and farmers NOAH will work to convince the public that animal health matters and the wise use of medicines actually assists consumer safety.
What do we know about current consumer concerns? NOAH commissioned studies through the IGD in 2006 and 2009 which helped us to understand what consumers understood, or perceived about animal medicines in the food chain, Following these surveys we updated briefing notes and produced our myth busting document: Animal Medicines- What you should know In March 2013, following a further study, again commissioned by IGD, we held a further food chain conference, on working together to dispel the myths of livestock production
What did we learn? Early surveys showed us that consumers had faith in UK farmers But some of the perceptions were disappointingly inaccurate were they perpetuated by ill informed media? Or mischievous retailers / lobby groups? Or was it because we had not been proactive in our positive communications?
Daily Mail 4 June 2013
Mail Online 10 August 2013
What were the key issues in the minds of the consumers? Prevention will be the future focus to replace conventional treatment wherever possible Therefore vaccination will be the priority for future R&D But there is still not full acceptance or understanding of existing vaccines Let s just have a brief look at some of the information from the most recent IGD study
Positive about farmers and independent checks 73% 60% Animal medicines are assessed and checked by independent scientists to ensure they are as safe for people British farmers care for the health and welfare of their animals n.b. some thought there were NO checks or regulations on animal medicines!! Base: All adults Source: IGD Shopper Insight
Uncovering the myths 1. Medicines/vaccinations getting into food chain 2. Growth hormones used 3. Medicines more necessary in intensive farming 4. Antibiotics becoming less effective for people due to veterinary use Source: IGD Shopper Insight
...although concern levels generally low, vaccines top the list of medicine concerns Concerns Concerned that vaccines in animals will be transferred into food No change Vaccinations should only be given if incidences of disease have been reported I would like to know if dairy, meat and eggs come from vaccinated animals +2% Animal diseases should be controlled by culling rather than vaccination Source: IGD Shopper Insight
Myth: medicines and vaccinations get into food chain 72% 29% 43% 28% Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Source: IGD Shopper Insight Base: All adults. Neither agree nor disagree includes don t know
Food from animals that have been vaccinated is not safe to eat. Vaccines work by stimulating the body to produce its own defence against infection. Mimicking what happens when an animal has been exposed to disease, the body and its defensive system will remember the identity of the invading organisms. Subsequent to this, if the animal comes into contact with the infectious disease agent (e.g. bacteria or virus) that the animal has been vaccinated against, its body is ready to fight it and the animal will not fall ill and suffer. This protects the individual animal and because of this the animal will not develop the disease and will not become infected. A further benefit of vaccination is that where a significant proportion of the herd/flock is vaccinated, it helps protect the unvaccinated animals in that population from the disease, a concept known as herd immunity.
Animals are only given vaccinations and medicines because hygiene and living conditions standards are below par. Animals, like people, need medicines too. Farmers use advice from professional veterinary surgeons, animal nutrition advisers and others to ensure that their livestock are kept healthy and their welfare is maintained in line with or better than the current animal welfare legislation. Recent years have seen outbreaks of more exotic diseases such as Bluetongue, Avian Influenza and others and increasing levels of endemic diseases such as Bovine Viral Diarrhoea and liver fluke. Such diseases are difficult to control and eradicate by good husbandry alone. Veterinary medicines, including vaccines, are tools that aid the good health and wellbeing of farm animals.
Belief that growth hormones are used 71% 37% 34% 29% Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Source: IGD Shopper Insight Base: All adults. Neither agree nor disagree includes don t know
Increased demand for information on growth hormones Are animals feed or injected anything to make them grow faster? What are animals fed? Which country has the meat come from? What difference is there between animal rearing in the UK and overseas? Base: All adults Source: IGD Shopper Insight
Animals are given antibiotics to boost growth Not true. At one time very small doses of some antibiotics were allowed to be added to feed because they improved the growth rates of some farm animals. But the EU phased out this practice, stopping the sale of antibiotic growth promoters on the 1st January 2006.
Animals are pumped up with hormones to boost growth. No hormonal growth promoters have been banned since 1988 in the UK and the rest of the European Union. Some hormones are used as medicines to treat sick cattle or to aid fertility control in cattle, pigs and sheep. They must only be prescribed under the strict control of a veterinarian. These products have been licensed as safe to use in food producing animals by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, with withdrawal periods imposed to ensure no harmful residues can enter the food chain.
Medicines more necessary in intensive farming 57% 90% 33% 10% Source: IGD Shopper Insight
Antibiotics becoming less effective for people due to use in animals 76% Base: All adults. Neither agree nor disagree includes don t know Source: IGD Shopper Insight
More consumers are demanding information What sort of living conditions do animals have? What hygiene standards exist? For how long and in what conditions are animals transported? How are animals killed? How long ago was the animal killed? What legislation exists to make sure animal meat is safe? Who checks that everything is done right and how is this checked? How can we be sure that the meat is what it says on the label Have the animals ever been sick? Have the animals ever been vaccinated to prevent disease? Have the animals ever been given medicines as a prevention? Base: All adults Source: IGD Shopper Insight
Two new NOAH videos: Consumer Film - Animal Medicines in Food Production Challenging Consumer Myths http://youtu.be/1qiurodr8ak Industry Film - Animal Medicines in Food Production The Food Industry Perspective http://youtu.be/uwihgoyjgbi
How can SQPs get involved? Be aware of the fact that in reality the consumer is the final customer and not just the farmer you Rx and supply to. If you have video presentation facilities in store playback the recordings to your customers. Carry copies of NOAH s myth busting documents in store Contact the NOAH office if would like to help and we can supply copies and materials. a.glennon@noah.co.uk