The well-being of people and animals is closely interlinked. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) ensures that medicines to treat and prevent diseases in animals are effective and safe not only for the animal, but also for consumers and the environment. Within the European Medicines Regulatory Network, EMA ensures that the best scientific experts from across the European Union carefully evaluate each new medicine before recommending its authorisation. As long as a medicine is on the market, the Agency continues to monitor its safety.
The leaflet 'Healthy animals, healthy people’ explains how EMA facilitates the development of veterinary medicines to make it safer for people and animals to live in close proximity and to protect the supply of food produced from animals. The Agency, for example, defines Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) which determine the maximum amount of a medicine that can safely be present in a food product obtained from a treated animal. It also provides guidance on prudent use of antibiotics in animals to reduce the threat of resistant bacteria.
EMA encourages research and development of new veterinary medicines. The Agency provides scientific and regulatory advice on innovative veterinary therapies through the Ad Hoc Expert Group on Veterinary Novel Therapies (ADVENT). When the market is very small, EMA offers a series of incentives to stimulate the development of new medicines in minor use/minor species (MUMS).
Monday August 21, 2017/ EMA/ European Union.
http://www.ema.europa.eu