Inside story: Scientific Committee Jonathan ElLiott, Chairman of the BSAVA Scientifk Committee, outlines bow the Committee goes about its business of educating BSAVA members and reacting to scientific issues in a measured and sensible way

The Scientific Committee of the Association deals with issues affect- ing members which require scien- tific interpretation and analysis before advice can be given. The issues are many and varied so the minutes of our meetings often make interesting reading.

Committee members Because of the variety of areas we deal with, the constitution of the committee attempts to draw small animal veterinarians from a variety of backgrounds.

As chairman, I provide some of the expertise on medicines and pharmacology, Phil Dobson, tech- nical manager at Novartis Animal Health, provides very useful back- ground and technical information from the pharmaceutical industry. Bryn Tennant has expertise in infectious diseases, general medi- cine and commercial diagnostic laboratory work. Simon swift is a practitioner with specialist interests in cardiology and knowledge of the worlungs of European veterinary bodies as he also serves as BSAVA's representative on the European Union of Veterinary Practitioners (UEVP). Allison Gleadhill is also in first opinion practice and has inter- ests in dermatology and nephrol- ogy. Gerard Brouwer is a veterinary anaesthetist currently running a university referral hospital.

What does Scientific Committee do? A common misconception is that we draw up the programme for Congress. Life is nor quite so focused. To detail every aspect of our activities would not be feasible, but the paragraphs which follow should give a feel for the type of work we do.

Answering specific queries sent in to the Association The Association receives many let- ters and telephone calls each month which need a reply. The Public Rela-

tions Officer is first to be consulted but will pass on any queries requir- ing an input from scientific Com- mittee to the chairman. In addition, consultation documents are for- warded to BSAVA from the British Veterinary Association asking for our views on proposed changes to legis- lation, input into ethical matters such as transplantation or the Ani- mals (Scientific) Procedures Act and many other issues. Often, the paper- work associated with these consulta- tive documents is weighty and the deadlines for responses short.

Scientific information Documents and Policy Statements In line with the Association's raison dEtre, which is to educate its mem- bers, Scientific Committee is responsible for producing informa- tion documents designed to inform and educate. Connected with this aspect of our work, the Policy State- ments of the Association are drawn up by, or in consultation with, Sci- entific Committee and then put before Council for approval.

Some of you may have noticed that we have changed our method of distributing the Scientific Informa- tion Documents (SIDs) to mem- bers. Instead of being circulated to the membership en bloc, these are now published with full colour illus- trations, in BSAVA News. There are now over 20 SlDs and we aim to update them every three years, a task which is becoming increasingly difficult. When an SID is first writ- ten, it is scrutineered by two experts in the field and goes before Council for approval. Updates are made in consultation with experts. We are currently publishing a series in BSAVA News which covers many of [he zoonotic diseases which you are likely to come across in small animal practice and this series will continue to run on a monthly basis well into 1998.

New SIDs are written and pub- lished, as and when deemed neces- sary, depending on issues in the

press or enquiries which have come into the Association from members. If information is needed urgently by members, a position statement will be issued first and within six to 12 months an SID will follow. Sometimes this will involve a newly recognised disease in this country (eg, viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits or feline spongiform encephalopathy); or in other cases the document may have come out of concern about pet animals being the source of infection for humans (eg, Helicobacter pylori infection).

inherited diseases Another main area in which Scien- tific Committee is involved is in the work carried out by [he joint Kennel ClublBSAVA Scientific Committee. This Committee is currently chaired by Mike Herrtage and meetings are held four or five times a year. Its mis- sion is to assist and advise the breed societies in any way it can to reduce or eliminate inherited problems which are detrimental to the health and well-being of dogs. Much of the information about many of the breed-associated problems is anec- dotal and help is often required, in the first instance, to survey members of a breed society to establish the scale of a particular problem.

Some breed societies regard any interference in their ways of breeding dogs with a great deal of suspicion and gentle persuasion is necessary to convince them that we have the good of their animals as our only interest. Publicising the success stories is one way in which this can be achieved and BSAVA Scientific Committee has attempted to do this with a series of articles on inherited diseases published last year in BSAVA News; the same articles were converted into less technical language and published in the Kennel Clubs Kennel Gazette.

Hopefully, by making BSAVA members aware of what work has been done, we can rely on them to spread the word to their clients.

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Surveys and prospective studies Some of the issues we have to deal with we are unable to answer because the information required does not exist. In these circum- stanles, ifwe feel the issue is worthy of illvesting time and money in finding out the answer, we will com- mission small studies to provide the information. Recently we have had reason to examine the epidemiology of auroimmune haemolytic anaemia and immune-mediated thrombo- qtopenia in the dog. The study was undertaken by two students work- ing t h i n g their vacations in the Epid-rniology Unit at the Animal Healrh Trust. They were paid a stipe-id by BSAVA and their results should be tremendously helpful in providing scientifically valid infor-

mation for answering questions related to the risks and benefits of booster vaccination.

Other surveys we have initiated include one on medicines, which established non-licensed veterinary products commonly used by s m d animal practitioners and the reasons they had for using these products. This information has proved useful for many bodies, including the Vet- erinary Medicines Directorate, when debating medicines legislation within Europe - a process which will continue for many years to come.

Surveys in the pipeline include a prospective survey on sarcoma in cats. If you find questionnaires dropping through your letter box, please take the time to complete and return them.

WSAVA NEWS

Agreement on microchips The WSAVA has agreed a position on the microchipping of com-

panion animals and an eight-point position document is now available from rhe WSAVA Secretary.

Members are urged to press for the adoption of the I S 0 (FDX-B) standird microchip and to make sure I hat all readers are compatible. Singlc- national databases are to be encouraged, with access at all times and worldwide coordination of inforrna tion.

A microchip adverse reactions repor ring procedure has been devel- oped in collaboration with FEGIVA and BSAVA to record migr;. rion, breakage, loss from the body, electronic failure and the development of abscesses and gran- ulom.cta. Forms are available from the BSAVA.

0 M.mber appllcatlons Appli,xtions for membership of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association have been received from the L Man and Malaysian small ani- mal practitioners’ associations.

These will be represented by Dr Aelita Baumane and Dr Yeoh Eng Cheong, respectively. Admission to full membership will be decided at the WSAVA General Assembly in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in Octo- ber. 0 WSAVA-Waltham Awards The WSAVA-Wdtham International Award winners for 1998 are: Dr Gustavo Aguirre (USA) for Scien- tific Achievement; Dr John Holt (Australia) for Service to the Veteri- nary Profession. They will each receive their awards and give lec- tures at the WSAVA Congress in Buenos Aires in October.

0 Contlnulng education programme looks to Asia The well established East European Continuing Education programme is being expanded under the leader- ship of Dr Gabriel Varga (Czech Republic). The first tour of South America has been completed and plans to extend the teaching to Asia are being formulated by Dr Roger Clarke (Australia) and Dr Parntep Ratanakorn (Thailand).

Val Clare, a veterinary surgeon from South Wales, completes the 26 mile, 385 yard distance at the 1997 London Marathon in an Impressive time. This year, for the third year In succession, Val will be running in aid of Petsavers. The marathon will take place on Sunday, April 26. If you or any of your clients have a place to run In the 1998 London Marathon, then Petsavers would be delighted If you would join Its team. Would-be sponsors and runners for the Petsavers team should contact Val Clare, Lock Cottage, 24 flve Locks Road, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran NP44 lBT, telephone 01633 869768, for information and sponsorship forms

News in brief

European society for the study of small animal reproduction The European Veterinary Society for the Study of Small Animal Reproduction has been set up to promote the study of small animal reproduction and to disseminate information to the veterinary profession and public. The affairs of the society are to be conducted by a committee comprising equal numbers of academics and practitioners. Dr Gary England of the RVC is one of eight members of an interim executive committee.

The first congress of the EVSSAR will be held in Barcelona from May 1 to 3. For membership details and congress information contact the EVSSAR Secretary, Dr C. LindeForsberg, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Box 7039, Uppsala 75007, Sweden, telephone +46 1 8 6 7 2163, fax +46 1867 3545, email Catharina. Linde-Forsberg@og.slu.se

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