Jamie Brannan, NOAH Vice Chair, explained that 2018 had been a challenging but exciting year for NOAH with the association looking forwards to secure ‘a strong future for animal health’ with it's new five-year strategy.

He said: “We started 2018 by asking NOAH members what they considered as the key issues and opportunities for our sector, and how NOAH could support them. With that information in mind, the NOAH Board and membership have been working hard to examine the factors affecting NOAH members and our wider industry. NOAH has now developed a new core Vision, Values, Purpose and 5 Key Objectives.

“One of the most significant changes is the expansion of our purpose to encompass safe, effective, quality products and services for the health and welfare of all animals. We are now looking at more than medicines. Medicines and vaccines remain our core business and are vital to help produce healthy food from healthy UK animals, and to care for the companion animals sharing our homes. But we are now looking at innovations and new product areas that work alongside them: big data, diagnostics, genetics, nutrition, as well as innovative new medicines, vaccines and delivery systems.”

He looked at the core areas where NOAH’s key objectives lay.

“Brexit dominates now – to support business continuity and opportunity through and post EU Exit,” he explained.

“Another focus area relates to the regulations that, framed well, can enable our sector to innovate while protecting the animals whose health benefits from our products, those who administer them, and the environment in which we all live.”

Another significant change in NOAH’s focus areas is to broaden its work on Antimicrobial Resistance to embrace One Health.

Jamie Brannan said: “AMR is a true one health issue and work on this remains integral, as demonstrated by our Animal Medicines Best Practice project, which provides training on responsible antibiotic use for farmers and vets. This has been achieved through true collaboration.

"Another aspect of One Health is of course the benefits animals bring to our own lives. As an example, looking at the latest Government initiative on loneliness, the value of simply sharing a life with another being is priceless. Keeping animals healthy helps support the mental and physical health of so many people.”

He added: “NOAH works for its members and prospective members to deliver relevant services in the face of a changing market and political landscape, and a new regulatory environment – to keep them informed and to work on their behalf.

“We are working to deliver a thriving animal health sector beyond our exit from the EU. We are promoting the future of our industry: to be a flourishing, world leading, welcoming and first-choice destination for innovation and new products,” he said.