Page 15 - Spring 18

that keeping animal welfare high can reduce use of antimicrobials. And this is where homeopathy should step in by stimulating the immune system! What about setting up a study on the potential positive influence of homeopathic treatment in individuals on the microbiome? We could contact for example very experienced researcher
The first day was the board meeting of the WVA to which we were invited. Since we joined the WVA they have changed their policy in relation to AMR. They have added the following paragraph at the end of this document. After the title: ‘THE GLOBAL BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ANTIMICROBIAL USE’ a number of bullet points followed finishing now with this new point:
Effective alternative and complementary medicine and
in this field like the ones mentioned above – it is all about networking which potentially leads to promising research projects!
Thank you to Shret Charity for sponsoring my congress fee of the WVAC 2018!
Petra Weiermayer, IAVH General Secretary
My conclusion from these talks is that the WVA is genuine about listening to us and giving us a platform to talk to the rest of the profession. We have at least 2 people in the board, who are prepared to defend us and seem to think that our cause is worthwhile. One of the board members, who works in research, said that the aggressive attacks are a phenomenon of our times... She has the same problem in her work as a researcher. The Dean of the RVC (Stuart Reid) presented a research project, which delivered an unexpected result putting in doubt the transmission of salmonella purely from animals to people. He explained that he had been heavily criticised for this.
Several people agreed that there is a standard repeated reflex- response against, which says: ‘there is no evidence for homeopathy’ or ‘it is not evidence based’-reflex used by many colleagues and organisations, which stops all discussion.
Petra and I attended mostly presentations in relation to the work of international organisation, ethic, animal welfare, on health, questions about teaching veterinary students. My personal interpretation is that they are looking for something like homeopathic thinking/medicine but without knowing this. Therefore, I think it is important, we choose to promote homeopathy as a missed opportunity by the profession. The wall of ‘there is no evidence’ will remain a problem for now.
All in all, this has been a very useful trip: it will not change the world for us for now but I am sure we have planted a few interesting seeds. Because the discussion in some vet organisations around homeopathy becomes so polarised, they usually try by all means to avoid it.
The take home message is to continue to defend homeopathy in a positive way, continue to engage, promote homeopathy as if the profession is missing out of a very useful treatment method. We have to be careful with criticising conventional medicine. Every time I explain that I am a conventional vet using also homeopathy to increase my treatment opportunities for the benefit of my patients, the discussion relaxes and become more acceptable.
Edward
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practices are needed as an important part of good husbandry practices to minimise or avoid antimicrobial use.
The WVA very much works on the principle of helpingitsmembersto
Development of effect- ive alternative manage- ment practices and treatments is needed to minimise anti- microbial use, while ensuring good animal health and welfare. This includes strategies such as vaccines, immune-stimulants, probiotics, competitive exclusion principles andproducts,nutrition,
etc. The WVA wants to
communicate to ‘the rest maintain the effective- ness of antimicrobials
of the profession’... for treating sic animals and humans and
emphasises the need to innovation in these areas.
Of course, one of the highlights was Petra’s presentation of her case of the cure of a wound break down in a horse as a consequence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria.
The WVA very much works on the principle of helping its members to communicate to ‘the rest of the profession’ about their issues and thoughts. This resulted in the possibility to talk to a number of people. I had conversations with 5 of WVA board members and a few other researchers and representatives of the veterinary profession.