Merck Animal Health SVP: to promote human health, invest in protecting animals
While humans invest billions each year to protect ourselves from disease, less than 1% of global health spending goes toward animal health.
Sixty years ago, the United States successfully eradicated the New World screwworm, a devastating parasite that once wreaked havoc on cattle herds across the South, saving producers an estimated $6 billion annually. However, the screwworm has made a recent comeback, with more than 50 confirmed cases in Texas since June, threatening livestock, wildlife, pets, and even human health.
Scientists now possess advanced tools to combat this outbreak, including the sterile insect technique and genetic engineering using CRISPR. These methods have shown promise, but the screwworm outbreak underscores the broader issue that animal diseases, from screwworm to bird flu, can emerge quickly and have severe consequences for human and animal health.
Animal diseases originate roughly three-quarters of infectious diseases affecting people and can cause significant economic losses in the livestock industry. Despite the risks, only 1% of global health spending goes toward animal health. Innovations from human health, such as messenger RNA technology, are being adapted to protect animal health, with potential benefits for preventing diseases like bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease.
Investments in animal health technologies, like AI-powered smart collars, can also help farmers detect and treat illnesses early, reducing economic losses. The United States should prioritize animal health, investing in existing technologies and adapting them for use in the animal population to strengthen preparedness, detect threats sooner, and contain outbreaks more effectively, ultimately ensuring the defeat of persistent threats like screwworm.
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