Bluetongue Vaccine - Expiry Date Concerns

The news, placed on the Defra website last Friday (27 February), that there will be no extension to the expiry date for bluetongue vaccines already in the supply chain “will come as a financial blow to some veterinary practices who have been left with stock that is now unusable”, said BVA President Mrs Nicky Paull. “The veterinary profession rose to the challenge of delivering vaccine as swiftly as possible and last year’s campaign was a great success, with no cases of circulating vaccine being reported during the course of 2008. The profession played a large part in the delivery of Defra’s strategy and to now find that the practices involved are going to be left carrying a financial burden not of their own making is totally unacceptable” she said. Mrs Paull explained that, in order to facilitate the swift rollout of vaccine, practices had prepared orders in advance, coordinating the requirements of their clients. “The vaccine that is now stuck in the supply chain is due mainly to the delay in the vaccine roll out, and the BVA is extremely concerned that practices are going to be wary of getting their fingers burnt again this year. While we sincerely hope that this news will not diminish the profession’s enthusiasm during the forthcoming vaccination campaign of 2009, we are currently actively exploring ways in which our members’ losses can be ameliorated. In the meantime it is crucial that both veterinary surgeons and farmers continue to work together to vaccinate all at risk livestock against BTV8 before the UK midge population becomes active again.”

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