Juan Ramón Alaix, CEO of Zoetis, inaugurated the World Veterinary Congress

Juan Ramón Alaix, Chief Executive Officer of Zoetis, inaugurated the 34th Congress of the World Veterinary Association (WVA, in its English acronym), held from May 5 to 8 in Barcelona, with the sponsorship of the company.

During his speech, focused on the main factors that will influence the evolution of the animal health industry in the coming years, Alaix expressed his respect for the profession of veterinarian, with which Zoetis shares a commitment and passion for animals.

“A profession -he said- on which we all depend, whether to safeguard the welfare and health of our pets, or to ensure the health and productivity of livestock.”

The CEO of Zoetis pointed out three growth factors for animal health worldwide:

• The increase in the world population, which will lead to the need for more animal protein for food.
• A growing middle class, with greater purchasing power for food, pets, and to afford veterinary care for them.
• The expansion of cities, which will influence the way protein production is understood.

According to Alaix, “these factors together indicate that in the future our dependence on animals will be greater, and the role of the veterinarian as a guarantor of their health, and therefore ours, increasingly crucial.”

He concluded by listing some of the challenges that, as a result of this increased demand, veterinarians face:

• Producing more protein with limited natural resources.
• Managing emerging diseases.
• The existence of a more informed and influential consumer than ever.
• Digitalization and data analysis.
• New models of drug distribution, among others.

Challenges that Zoetis helps to meet through the innovation, development, manufacturing, and marketing of veterinary medicines and vaccines complemented by diagnostic products and supported by a wide range of services.

The congress, inaugurated by the Minister of Health, Dolors Montserrat, was attended by more than 600 veterinarians from around the world, with a comprehensive program that covered, among others, technological advances, the involvement of veterinarians, and crisis management in public health, aspects related to zoonoses, or with companion animal clinics, featuring a dermatology area led by Lluís Ferrer and sponsored by Zoetis.