FMD Response Policy review
Contents
Welcome to the FMD Response Policy review website
Update: 20 February 2012: As work continues on the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) response policy review, we have recently been asked a number of questions relating to the proposed updated policy that might be of interest to others. Following are some recent questions, and our responses:
- Why do we need to update our FMD response policy?
- Why are we considering using vaccine in an FMD outbreak?
- Isn’t it true that vaccinated animals can still be infected?
- If vaccinated animals can still be infected, isn’t it safer to slaughter them after the outbreak?
- If we vaccinate animals, won’t that delay our international market access?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute, highly contagious and rapidly spreading viral disease of domestic and wild cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, camelids (camels, llamas and alpacas) and buffalo. It is considered one of the biggest risks to Australia’s livestock industry.
An FMD outbreak in Australia would result in the immediate closure of many of Australia’s major export markets for livestock and livestock products. The economic effects of an outbreak, even on a small scale, would be enormous to individuals, to the farming industry as a whole, and to subsidiary and support industries.
Australia’s response policy for an outbreak of FMD is to control and eradicate the disease through stamping out and to re-establish the FMD-free status of Australia as quickly as possible. It is described in detail in AUSVETPLAN, Australia’s Veterinary Emergency Plan.
In light of improved international understanding of FMD viruses, vaccines and technologies generally, a thorough review of FMD-related policy has been requested by industry and government, using the recently updated AUSVETPLAN as a template, as a means of modernising Australia’s approach to FMD. Animal Health Australia is facilitating this review.
More information on the review will be provided here as it becomes available.