NIAA Antibiotic Symposium Invites Collaboration Across Animal and Human Health

“Collaboration is not optional,” says a featured speaker of the upcoming Antibiotic Symposium presented by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) October 31-November 2, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Dulles, Herndon, VA.

Elizabeth D. Hermsen, PharmD, MBA, BCPS-AQ(ID), Head of Global Antimicrobial Stewardship, Merck & Co., Inc. has titled her presentation We Are the World: Collaboration Is Not Optional and is referring to animal, human and environmental health and the issue of antimicrobial resistance.

“We are still in the infancy stages of encouraging that collaboration,” she says “but I do think it is occurring on a global level. There is a lot of buzz around the One Health concept and increasing awareness of what it means. People are thinking about it with a different perspective and getting the wheels turning for how or why things should be done differently.”

Antibiotic Stewardship: Collaborative Strategy for Animal Agriculture and Human Health is the theme for the 7th Antibiotic Symposium presented by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, bringing together all sectors of the animal food production industry and partners in human medicine and public health.

“There is definitely room for improvement and opportunities for growth in collaboration,” Hermsen adds. “Collectively, we are taking some good steps forward and probably the most important first step is to have a seat at the table and to have both sides sitting at that table where both animal and human health are talking to each other.”

“Anything that can be done to encourage the conversation, even if the sides do not agree, is important,” she says. “That way each perspective is known and that gives us a place to start.”

For more information or to register for the 2017 NIAA Antibiotic Symposium, go to NIAA’s website.