Regional Workshop for OIE National Focal Points for Veterinary Products

The OIE organised the Regional Seminar for National Focal Points (FPs) for Veterinary Products in Bangkok, Thailand from 20 to 22 March 2018. A total of 50 people participated in the seminar: 28 Focal Points for Veterinary Products or their representatives, experts from OIE Collaborating Centres, staff from FAO, OIE, WHO, WCO, HealthforAnimals, as well as antiparasitic resistance expert and observers.

The seminar was officially opened by the Deputy Director General of the Department of Livestock Development, Dr Cheerasak Pipatpongsopon. Dr Elisabeth Erlacher-Vindel, Head of the OIE Science and New Technologies Department and Dr Hirofumi Kugita, OIE Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific also gave opening addresses.

FPs for Veterinary Products serve as a means of improving communication between Member Countries (MCs) and the OIE under the authority of the Delegates, particularly on issues related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), diagnostics, vaccine and veterinary drugs. They also play a key role in enabling the detection, prevention and control of animal diseases, ensuring the responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials in MCs.

The OIE continues to strengthen the network and capacity of FPs for Veterinary Products through training seminars at the regional level. The 5th cycle seminar was built on previous seminars and provided the FPs with the following information:

• Information on the roles and responsibilities of OIE National FPs for Veterinary Products and the OIE standards and guidelines related to veterinary medicinal products (VMPs), Technical Requirements for Registration of VMPs (VICH) including experience in the application of VICH Guidelines, and feasibility or difficulties encountered and revision of anthelmintic efficacy evaluation guideline;
• Information on and examples of good governance of VMPs that will assist MCs to improve their regulatory authorisation/registration framework;
• Information on antimicrobial use and resistance, focusing on the Tripartite activities, results of the OIE project to collect quantitative data on antimicrobials agents used in MCs, the OIE strategy on AMR and the prudent use of antimicrobials, and a group exercise to help MCs to improve the possible reporting options on the data collection;
• Information on and examples of how to fight against with illegal veterinary drugs; and
• Opportunities to learn and share the information on antiparasitic drugs and their resistance and the need for prudent and responsible use.

The workshop was very interactive and productive as it comprised a series of working group discussions aimed at helping participants work together to explore the benefits and difficulties they will meet when implementing a veterinary medicine “prescription registration system” and distributer licensing. Key elements were also identified to improve antimicrobial use data quality and possible reporting options.

While this seminar helped to inform FPs on the latest OIE standards, knowledge of antimicrobial use and resistance, the feedback from this workshop will be used to provide inputs to shape future OIE activities. MCs expressed a need for further technical guidance from the OIE to understand sources of AMU data collection, the use of antibiotics as feed additives as well as disinfectants and handle the increasing antiparasitic resistance. FPs also called for closer collaboration with both national and international custom organisations and other partners to fight against of illegal, substandard veterinary drugs.

Following on from this seminar, the 6th cycle of regional seminars for national FPs for Veterinary Products will include country reports on sources of AMU data collection, introduction on biomass and benchmarking within regions and pharmacovigilance.