Importance of biotechnology recognized in policy

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The AVMA Executive Board approved revisions to the AVMA policy "Use of Biotechnology in Development of Drugs and Vaccines" at its April meeting.

The Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents and its Clinical Practitioners Advisory Committee believed there was a need for an AVMA biotechnology-oriented policy that targets drug and vaccine development.

The two entities suggested modifying the policy to speak to the various ways biotechnology can assist in drug and vaccine development, according to the background they submitted with the recommendation.

"In particular, COBTA believes that research, development, and production procedures of biotechnology-associated biologic and therapeutic agents should be internationally harmonized, in order to limit any international obstacles to access to such tools," according to the background.

The revised policy includes passages asserting that regulatory policies associated with pre- and post-approval biotechnology product evaluations should be science-based and that use of biotechnology in development of drugs and vaccines can enhance surveillance.

These changes were reflected in the amended policy, which can be found at avma.org/issues/policy/drugs_vaccines.asp.