International organisations and animal health

Trade in animals and food

A number of international intergovernmental organisations rely on epidemiologic principles in the investigation of health and disease in animal and human populations. These are predominantly associated with the control of animal and human health, in the context of international trade. The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS agreement), was developed by the World Trade Organisation WTO in 1995 in order to encourage global trade and to protect against the instigation of unreasonable trade barriers, whilst still protecting against the spread of human, animal and plant disease. Three groups are associated with this agreement: the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), also of the FAO.

The OIE is responsible for the monitoring of animal disease worldwide. As well as developing sanitary rules for international trade, it is responsible for the development of standards and guidelines for diagnostic tests, vaccines and for the collection and dissemination of animal disease data.

The CAC is responsible for producing the Codex Alimentarius, which covers standards, guidelines and recommendations for food safety.

The IPPC develops standards aimed at protecting against the spread of plant pathogens through the movement of plants and plant products.

Following the production of the standards and guidelines, the FAO then has the power to enforce these

Animal welfare issues=

The OIE are associated with the development of animal welfare standards on an international level, but the enforced implementation of these are usually on an individual country basis.

Food security issues

The FAO provides information on agriculture, food and consumption worldwide, and as such is responsible for

Zoonoses

The WHO is responsible for the coordination of public health issues - which, in the case of animal diseases, will relate to zoonotic disease (pathogens which can transmit from animals to humans).