First International Conference on Animal Health Surveillance

Thanks to a fellow ISDS member, we have received information on the first ever International Conference on Animal Health Surveillance, taking place from May 17-20, 2011, in Lyon, France.

Here is the information from the first announcement:

Surveillance: Science and Policy

The Aim
The aim of the conference is to gather scientists and policy makers working in the area of animal health surveillance to exchange new ideas and better understand the challenges and opportunities that each group faces, and to develop solutions for future surveillance approaches under considerations of efficiency, cost-effectiveness and quality that fulfil the needs of both policy and science. The meeting is timed immediately before the General Session of the OIE to be held in Paris the week after. It is hoped that policy makers (including Chief Veterinary Officers and their technical staff members) will take this opportunity to both guide surveillance research to meet their needs and learn how new techniques may influence the way policy develops in the future.

The Venue
The conference will be held in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Lyon, gastronomic capital of France. Presentations will take place in the baroque Chapelle de la Trinité, built between 1617 and 1622 as the chapel of the Jesuit Grand Collège. This magnificent space is in the heart of Lyon, within walking distance of dozens of hotels catering to all budgets, and hundreds of restaurants catering to all palettes. 2011 marks the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the world’s first veterinary school in Lyon, and this meeting has joined with the World Veterinary Year organizers to celebrate the event.

The Target Population
•Scientists – those using or researching new techniques and tools for surveillance
•Practitioners – those responsible for implementing surveillance programs and wishing to be updated on the latest opportunities and developments
•Policy makers – those responsible for setting national, regional and international standards for surveillance The focus of the meeting is on animal health surveillance, but those working in zoonoses and human health surveillance are welcome to attend and to share their experiences.

The Dates
September 2010: First call for paper
1 December 2010: Deadline for submission of papers
1 February 2011: Notification of acceptance 17.
May 2011: Begin on Conference

The Website
Please visit the conference website to download the conference brochure and register your email address in order to receive further information.