Boehringer Ingelheim promotes the One Health approach to prevent future health crises

• The second edition of the “Health in All Policies” initiative brings together institutional representatives, scientists, and professionals from the veterinary and agri-food sectors in Madrid to advance the integration of the One Health approach into public policies against zoonoses and emerging diseases.
• The meeting brought together nearly 30 representatives from the General State Administration, including María Jesús Rodríguez de Sancho (MITECO), Emilio Luis García Muro and Luis José Romero González (MAPA), key organizations such as the AEMPS, and various autonomous communities.

Boehringer Ingelheim held the second edition of the “Health in All Policies” initiative in Madrid, a meeting that brought together institutional representatives, public officials, scientists, veterinarians, healthcare professionals, and other life sciences or agri-food sector professionals to advance the integration of the One Health approach into public policies on health, economy, and food security as a key tool to strengthen prevention and anticipate future health crises.

In a context marked by the increase in zoonoses and emerging diseases, the event focused on the need to evolve from reactive models to prevention-based strategies, incorporating animal, human, and environmental health transversally in decision-making.

The meeting brought together institutional representatives from Ministries and regional councils and key organizations such as the AEMPS, including Emilio Luis García Muro, Director General of Agro-Food Production Health and Animal Welfare at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA); María Jesús Rodríguez de Sancho, Director General of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification at the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge; Luis José Romero González, Deputy Director of the Animal Health and Hygiene and Traceability area at MAPA; Cristina Muñoz Madero and Carmen García Mascaraque (AEMPS), Mercè Soler i Barrasús (Generalitat de Catalunya), Olga Mínguez (Junta de Castilla y León) and Marta Marbán (Asamblea de Madrid). Additionally, researchers and sector experts from leading entities such as the Animal Health Research Center (CISA-INIA-CSIC), Complutense University of Madrid, Visavet+, or ASPROVAC participated, promoting a joint and coordinated approach to health challenges.

During the meeting, experts agreed on the importance of strengthening coordination between administrations, the scientific community, and the productive sector to improve prevention and anticipation capacity for future health crises and reduce their impact on public health, the economy, and food security.

“Health cannot be addressed in silos. Coordinated work among all actors is not an option but a necessity. Initiatives like this allow us to advance dialogue between science, institutions, and the productive sector to achieve a cross-cutting vision and greater coordination and to promote solutions that strengthen prevention and improve the response to current health challenges”, said the Director of Animal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim Spain, Elena Gratacós.

The event featured the participation of Elisa Pérez, a veterinary virologist at the Animal Health Research Center (CISA-INIA-CSIC), who warned about the need to strengthen prevention and surveillance in the face of the growing risk of zoonotic diseases.

“The next major health crisis will likely have a zoonotic origin; the difference between a controlled threat or a global crisis will lie in our ability to collaborate and coordinate among the sectors involved” highlighted Pérez, emphasizing the importance of strengthening surveillance systems from a One Health perspective.

The expert also reminded that many animal diseases do not directly affect human health, but they do have a significant impact on the economy, employment, and rural areas. “Animal health is not just a veterinary issue: it is a key pillar to protect public health, the economy, food security, and social stability”, she added.

Zoonoses, prevention, and institutional coordination

Zoonoses and emerging diseases have gained increasing relevance in recent years, highlighting the need to strengthen anticipation, surveillance, and cooperation across disciplines. According to the WHO, it is currently estimated that around 60% of human infectious diseases have an animal origin, and up to 75% of emerging diseases are zoonotic, reinforcing the urgency of adopting coordinated approaches like One Health.

In this scenario, advancing towards public policies that integrate animal health will not only improve the response to health crises but also strengthen the resilience of health, food, and economic systems.

In this context, participants in the discussion panel agreed on the need to advance towards greater coordination between public health, animal health, and the environment, as well as promoting homogeneous regulatory frameworks that favor more agile and effective responses.

Furthermore, the importance of investing in surveillance, prevention, and vaccination, as well as improving data integration and protocols between sectors was highlighted. Experts also emphasized the role of education and training in One Health to foster closer collaboration between human and animal health professionals.

Advancing towards public policies that integrate animal health will not only improve the response to future health crises but also strengthen the resilience of health, food, and economic systems.