EPRUMA shows progress in delivering commitments to the responsible use of veterinary medicines

14/12/17

Brussels, 14 December 2017: EPRUMA recently presented ongoing activities to promote the responsible use of veterinary medicines at the European Parliament in Brussels. In a meeting hosted by Françoise Grossetête, a leading member of the European Parliament in animal health matters, EPRUMA emphasised its sustained commitment to responsible use, and called on the Parliament to support initiatives aimed at increasing medicines availability.

EPRUMA Chair, Rens van Dobbenburgh, shed light on the initiatives the platform members are leading to promote animal health and welfare, and to increase coordination and exchange of information on responsible use among all actors. These are at the heart of EPRUMA’s ‘7 commitments’ declaration, which partners co-signed in 2016.

‘We have been promoting the responsible use of veterinary medicines since the establishment of EPRUMA 12 years ago, and continue to do so, because like people, animals need medicines’, said Mr van Dobbenburgh. ‘We call on the members of the European Parliament to join forces to ensure veterinary medicines stay available and effective now and in the future, and to support the aim to increase the veterinary toolbox by supporting the development of alternatives to antibiotics and diagnostic tools’, he concluded.

Mrs Grossetête welcomed EPRUMA’s joint efforts to deliver on their commitments for a better, more responsible use of veterinary medicines. ‘The commitments from actors on the ground, dealing with animals, medicines and farmers on a daily basis are crucial if we want responsible use, beyond words, to become a widespread practice’, she said.