One Health: The health of humans and animals belongs together

Thanks to new drugs, medicine has achieved great progress for humans and animals. For instance, a large number of infectious diseases are now controllable or have even been completely eradicated thanks to systematic vaccination. These include distemper, parvovirus infections in dogs and cats, leptospirosis in dogs, rinderpest and equine influenza. Animal diseases that were previously fatal can now be treated. Examples in dogs include the common skin disease demodicosis and canine malaria (babesiosis). Another example is worm diseases in ruminants and horses.

Developing new medical active substances is a meticulously regulated process that takes many years. Animal experimentation forms a vital part of this process. It ensures the development of new drugs that maintain human health, and in many cases also benefit pets, livestock and wild animals. Opposition to animal experimentation hampers medical progress, to the detriment of humans and animals. Sound animal health is essential, and humans benefit from this in two ways – fewer diseases are transmitted from animals to humans, and animal foodstuffs such as milk, meat, eggs and honey are also made safer.