Dr. Ulrich Herzog
Head of Section III Consumer Policy and Consumer Health
Wednesday, 2nd April 2025, 13.30-15.00
KEYNOTE SESSION I
Challenges with Veterinary Medicine & Specialisation from stakeholders’ perspective
Lecture “One Health: challenges & opportunities for veterinary specialists”
ABSTRACT
One Health is an integrated approach that views the health of humans, animals, and the environment as inseparably linked. It has been promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and is anchored in the One Health Joint Plan of Action (2022-2026). Veterinarians play a key role in this system as they operate at the intersection of animal health, public health, and environmental protection. The key objectives of this concept and the tasks of veterinary specialist include:
Combating Zoonotic Diseases: Zoonotic diseases are infections that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Veterinarians monitor and control disease outbreaks in animals to prevent their transmission to humans.
Food Safety and Veterinary Inspection: Veterinarians ensure that food of animal origin is safe for consumption by monitoring hygiene in agricultural production, processing, and distribution.
Combating Antimicrobial Resistance: Veterinarians advocate for the responsible use of antibiotics in livestock farming and promote alternative disease prevention strategies.
Environmental Protection and Sustainability: Veterinarians contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural practices and advise farmers on reducing negative environmental impacts.
One Health requires close cooperation between different disciplines. Veterinarians often work with human health professionals, environmental scientists, epidemiologists, and policymakers to develop comprehensive health strategies. This is evident in:
One Health is a crucial approach to minimizing global health risks and creating sustainable solutions. Veterinarians play a key role in this movement, contributing to the protection of humans, animals, and the environment. To successfully implement the One Health approach, increased political and financial support is necessary.
BIOSKETCH
Dr. Ulrich Herzog studied veterinary medicine at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. He completed his diploma in 2001 and his doctorate in 2011.
From 1999 worked in the office of the Dean of Studies at the VMU Vienna.
In mid-2001 he became a consultant for veterinary issues in the market department of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture.
In March 2003 he moved to the cabinet of the then Minister of Health. He remained a member of the Cabinet until the end of 2008.
From June 2004 he was appointed Head of Consumer Health and Veterinary Affairs at the Ministry of Health. This area covers the topics of food safety, animal health and animal welfare as well as genetic engineering issues.
Since December 2020, Dr. Herzog is the Head of Section III Consumer Policy and Consumer Health. He still holds this position today.
Since 2005 he has been a member of the CVO Council Working Groups of the EU as Head of the Austrian Veterinary Administration and the Austrian delegate to the World Animal Health Organization (WOAH). He has been Vice-President of the Regional Commission for Europe at the WOAH since 2014 and Vice Chair of the European Commission of the Global Forum of Transboundary animal diseases (GFTads).
He was a member or President of the European Foot-and-Mouth Commission at the FAO
He has been a member of the EFSA Management Board since 2020.
He is a member of the supervisory board of the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety and deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and also Member of the Supervisory Board of the Consumerinformation organisation (VKI).
Dr. Herzog is married and has two children, aged 16 and 14.