'The RCVS should not change the standard of proof in disciplinary cases'.

Gillian Nevin argues that vets would be unfairly disadvantaged if the RCVS changes to a civil standard of proof in disciplinary cases.

La Regulación de los medicamentos veterinarios en España / The regulation of veterinary drugs in Spain

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Expert Opinion on the Perceived Effectiveness and Importance of On-Farm Biosecurity Measures for Cattle and Swine Farms in Switzerland.

Biosecurity is crucial for safeguarding livestock from infectious diseases. Despite the plethora of biosecurity recommendations, published scientific evidence on the effectiveness of individual biosecurity measures is limited. The objective of this study was to assess the perception of Swiss experts about the effectiveness and importance of individual on-farm biosecurity measures for cattle and swine farms (31 and 30 measures, respectively). Using a modified Delphi method, 16 Swiss livestock disease specialists (8 for each species) were interviewed. The experts were asked to rank biosecurity measures that were written on cards, by allocating a score from 0 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Experts ranked biosecurity measures based on their importance related to Swiss legislation, feasibility, as well as the effort required for implementation and the benefit of each biosecurity measure. The experts also ranked biosecurity measures based on their effectiveness in preventing an infectious agent from entering and spreading on a farm, solely based on transmission characteristics of specific pathogens. The pathogens considered by cattle experts were those causing Bluetongue (BT), Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR). Swine experts expressed their opinion on the pathogens causing African Swine Fever (ASF), Enzootic Pneumonia (EP), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), as well as FMD. For cattle farms, biosecurity measures that improve disease awareness of farmers were ranked as both most important and most effective. For swine farms, the most important and effective measures identified were those related to animal movements. Among all single measures evaluated, education of farmers was perceived by the experts to be the most important and effective for protecting both Swiss cattle and swine farms from disease. The findings of this study provide an important basis for recommendation to farmers and policy makers.

Experience with the delegation of anaesthesia for disbudding and castration to trained and certified livestock owners.

BACKGROUND: Anaesthesia is mandatory for disbudding and castrating calves and lambs of any age, in Switzerland. According to the "anaesthesia delegation model" (ADM), anaesthesia for disbudding calves <3 weeks of age and castrating calves and lambs <2 weeks of age may be administered by certified farmers. Experience with this unique model is not available. The aim was to evaluate the experience of the veterinary practitioners with the ADM. The response rate was 42%. The survey consisted of one questionnaire for each procedure. Procedure I was the delegation of anaesthesia for disbudding calves and procedures II and III were anaesthesia for castrating calves and lambs. RESULTS: Procedure I was performed with local anaesthesia in all farms of 51.8% of the veterinary practices, while this was only 39.3% and 7.6% for procedures II and III (p < 0.001). Anaesthesia for procedure I was administered technically correctly by farmers in at least 66% of the farms of 58.3% of the practitioners, while this was 45.4% and only 23.6% for procedures II and III (p < 0.001). The ADM was assessed as a moderate to very good model to reinforce the legal obligations for procedures I, II, or III by 74.8%, 76.5% and 62.0% of the veterinary practitioners (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The delegation of anaesthesia to certified farmers may be a promising model to reinforce the obligation to provide local anaesthesia for disbudding and castrating calves, but to a lesser extent for castrating lambs.

How lack of clarity in regulation is stifling veterinary research.

Veterinary practice and research are regulated through legislation, but current interpretation of this is threatening the advantages this research could bring for animals and the profession, says Nick Jeffery.

Basing policy on available evidence.

In his regular update for Veterinary Record, Nigel Gibbens, the UK Chief Veterinary Officer, revisits the basis for the proposed badger culling policy and provides an overview of other current issues, including surveillance for Schmallenberg virus, dealing with equine infectious anaemia and the UK's stance on proposed changes to EU pet import rules.

Governance, veterinary legislation and quality.

This review of governance distinguishes between ends and means and, by highlighting the complexity and differing definitions of the concept, defines its scope and focuses discussion on its characteristics in order to establish an interrelationship between veterinary legislation and governance. Good governance must be backed by legislation, and good legislation must incorporate the principles and instruments of good governance. This article lists some of the main characteristics of governance and then reviews them in parallel with the methodology used to draft veterinary legislation, emphasising the importance of goal-setting and stakeholder participation. This article describes the criteria developed by the Veterinary Legislation Support Programme (VLSP) of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) for assessing the quality of veterinary legislation. It then makes a comparison between the quality assurance process and the good governance process in order to demonstrate that the introduction and proper use of the tools for developing veterinary legislation offered by the OIE VLSP leads to a virtuous circle linking legislation with good governance. Ultimately, the most important point remains the implementation of legislation. Consequently, the author points out that satisfactory implementation relies not only on legislation that is technically and legally appropriate, acceptable, applicable, sustainable, correctly drafted, well thought through and designed for the long term, but also on the physical and legal capacity of official Veterinary Services to perform their administrative and enforcement duties, and on there being the means available for all those involved to discharge their responsibilities.

Los primeros pasos de la medicina veterinaria en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (1904-1910) / The first steps of Medicine Veterinary in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (1904-1910)

Entre 1904 y 1910 se define el servicio veterinario municipal en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Es una etapa fundacional, sellada por la improvisación del gobierno local, el amateurismo de las conductas y las necesidades de garantizar un orden básico en la dotación de plazas de Profesor Veterinario y, sobre todo, la de procurar la sanidad animal en el territorio. En el presente, se analiza este proceso que transcurre desde la aceptación de la normativa legal del ramo, con todas sus consecuencias, hasta el definitivo afán preventivo. Por encima de la breve trama veterinaria, se advierten las claves históricas del reformismo de principios de siglo en el archipiélago canario(AU)

The official veterinary service in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was established between 1904 and 1910. In its beginnings, the local authority was forced to improvise and suffered from lack of experience, in an effort to procure veterinary teaching positions and most importantly, a veterinary service to cover the needs across its territory. This article analyses the process from its early days characterised by the implementation of legislation and a strong desire to put in place disease prevention strategies. Attitudes were markedly tainted by the reformist spirit that characterised the beginning of the century in the Canarian Archipelago(AU)

The regulation of veterinary regenerative medicine and the potential impact of such regulation on clinicians and firms commercializing these treatments.

This article provides an overview of the US Food and Drug Administration's current and potential regulation of veterinary regenerative medicine and the various products used in the practice. This article also discusses several of the potential enforcement risks associated with the commercialization of such therapies and products and offers the reader strategies for mitigating those risks. Finally, the article concludes with a review of an important and ongoing court battle that focuses on the marketing and promotion of cellular-based therapies for humans that could have a significant impact on the regulation of both human and veterinary products.

Optimising import risk mitigation: anticipating the unintended consequences and competing risks of informal trade.

The effectiveness of risk mitigation may be compromised by informal trade, including illegal activities, parallel markets and extra-legal activities. While no regulatory system is 100% effective in eliminating the risk of disease transmission through animal and animal product trade, extreme risk aversion in formal import health regulations may increase informal trade, with the unintended consequence of creating additional risks outside regulatory purview. Optimal risk mitigation on a national scale requires scientifically sound yet flexible mitigation strategies that can address the competing risks of formal and informal trade. More robust risk analysis and creative engagement of nontraditional partners provide avenues for addressing informal trade.