Science.doc                                                                                                 6 June  2010

 

GLOBAL CRISIS OF ANIMAL POPULATION HEALTH/DISEASE RESEARCH – DEEP GAP BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE

(to be elaborated)

 

V. Kouba

Formerly: Animal Health Officer (Research and Education), Animal Health Officer (Veterinary Intelligence), Senior Officer (Veterinary Services) and Chief, Animal Health Service, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Roma, Italy; Professor of Epizootiology, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno; Czechoslovak and Czech Chief Epizootiologist, Prague

 

Table of contents

 

Introduction

1. Basic discrepancy: animal population communicable diseases  spread globally as never in spite of availability of so many information as never  - number of diseased animals as well as the amount of scientific research results, meetings, publications etc. both are increasing almost by a geometrical progression

2. Mosaic of infinite number of isolated applied research results without any practical impact on animal population health/diseases’ problem solution = research for research

3. Missing international coordinated research policy for supporting practical animal population health/disease control and problems’ solution

4. Selection of topics distant from practical needs of animal population health/disease problem solution = no responsibility for research results’ impact

5. Missing multi-etiological research of animal population health/disease problem solution

6. Entirely missing research of the most important animal population health/disease problems = pathogen long-distance (incl. inter-continental) spread, circulation and globalization (planet pathogen colonization)

7. Research not respecting conditions for and feasibility of its result transfer in animal population health/disease practice

8. Missing working link between research institutions and veterinary services responsible for practical solution of animal population health/disease problems

9. Isolation of local from national, international and global research of animal population health/disease problems

10. Imposing on field practice theoretical methods not proved as feasible and effective under real conditions

11. Not evaluating benefit/cost of the research and of its impact on practical solution of animal population health/disease problems (the value usually close to zero)

12. Research not respecting biological features of animal population health/disease phenomena (uncritical ad absurdum overuse of mathematics)

13. Using not representative samples for animal population health/disease research = non reliable results

14. Missing international uniform indicators for objective measurements of animal population health/disease characteristics

15. Missing suitable theoretical research as the basis for applied research bringing feasible methods for animal population health/disease effective control

16. Great disproportions between animal population health/disease research in developed and developing world

17. Lack of animal population health/disease research specialists in developing world – “brain draining” by developed world

18. Missing suitable methodologies for animal population health/disease research targeted at effective practical application

19. Difficulties of field research in communicable diseases of animals at population level

20. Lack of necessary staff, facilities, material and financial support of animal population health/disease research

21. Deep disproportion between preventive/control methods at population level and curative methods’ research size and outputs

22. Deep disproportion between the size and output of population and individual animal health and disease research

23. Missing research of management and economics of animal population health protection and recovery

24. Strong underestimation of field practice experience, methods and data gained during animal population health/disease control

25. Animal population health/disease „research“ sold to trade and export interests at the expense of animal and human health in importing countries (consciously supporting export of pathogens)

26. Missing research of methods to avoid communicable disease propagation through national and international trade in animals and animal products

27. Research priority given to ad hoc local “fire brigade” strategy before the research of territorial specific animal population health protection and restoration

28. Confusing animal population health/disease research with statistical processing of data not corresponding with the reality (“garbage in – garbage out”)

29. Use of computers not respecting biological features of animal population health/disease problems and absence of reliable starting data (e.g. UK 2001 FMD “carnage by computer”)

30. Use of professionally unchecked anamnesis data due to missing results of active field animal health population surveillance and screening

31. Theoretical modelling „mania“ not respecting its practical feasibility and impact on the solution of animal population health/disease problems

32. Missing research of suitable animal population health/disease control methods and practical field strategy

33. International “scientific” meetings without any standpoints and/or recommendations for particular situation improvement (benefit/cost close to zero) = avoiding the co-responsibility for animal population health/disease development

34. Deliberate falsification of research results (supporting mass export of ineffective/damaging products, e.g. vaccines against “swine influenza A/H1N1), incorrect results’ interpretation and commercialization of scientific activities

35. Conclusion

36. References