Editorial

Abstract

This special issue presents the abstracts of the Short Communications and Posters presented at the 12th International Congress of the European Association for Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology (EAVPT2012). Individual topics were introduced by keynote lectures as indicated. Only short summaries of these plenary and keynote lectures are presented here, but many of the keynote speakers have placed their presentations on the Congress Website. Moreover, keynote speakers have been invited to draft a review article on their respective topic(s). These reviews will be published in the forthcoming issues of this Journal. A short reference is also made to the different workshops organized within the Congress programme as a moment and opportunity to discuss in an informal way relevant and upcoming questions pertinent to veterinary therapeutics. Special information about these subjects can be obtained from the workshop coordinators. The programme of EAVPT 2012 was dense and covered many aspects of veterinary pharmacology and toxicology, the latter with emphasis on food safety assessment. Traditionally on the 1st day, investigations devoted to the pharmacokinetics of anti-infectives (antibiotics and antiparasitics) covered a prominent part of the programme. In the course of the Congress refined PD/PK models were presented, applied to establish optimal dosage regimens not only for antibiotics, but also for many other drugs commonly used in veterinary medicine. At the same time, the global emergence of antimicrobial resistance has added the demand of resistance avoidance-strategies to meet public health expectations. This aspect has to be considered in the overall assessment of therapeutic dosing regimens for antibiotics. An inherent part of kinetics is the investigation of biotransformation processes and the specific drug transporters that affect drug absorption and distribution. Understanding of the intraspecies (breed differences) and interspecies variation allows an individualization of therapeutic approaches and hence will improve drug efficacy and safety. At the same time, the (patho-)physiological variability within the treated group of animals (treated population) needs to be predicted and acknowledged (population kinetics). Drug research and development is more and more driven by modern molecular technologies. The increasing availability of -omic technologies, supported by worldwide activities to analyse the entire genome of all major target animal species in veterinary medicine, marks a new era in biomedical research. Research into inflammatory responses and pain control, but also in many other areas, utilizes these technologies to directly monitor a virtually unlimited number of signal transduction pathways and biological events. Hence, gene expression profiling and the targeted suppression (silencing) of selected genes (either in vitro or in the intact animal) are considered as powerful tools in modern drug development. Together with new drug delivery systems, supported by nanotechnology, ample opportunities are created for the identification of new drug classes in preventive (vaccines) and curative veterinary medicine. Gene expression profiling is also increasingly applied in all areas of toxicological research. In food safety, gene profiling is used to identify animals that have been exposed to (multiple) undesirable substances or that have been treated with illicit compounds. In general, food toxicology has evolved as a highly specialized area requiring the close cooperation of various disciplines in refined exposure assessment and hazard characterization (dose-response assessment). The advances in chemical analytical procedures towards multi-analyte techniques allow the simultaneous analysis of diverse food and feed contaminants. In turn, there is an increasing demand for new concepts in the toxicological assessment of complex mixtures, reflecting exposure of individuals and cohorts (human and animals) in real life. Last but not least, it should be mentioned that EAVPT Congresses always address veterinary education and a comparison of veterinary curricula from different continents and societies. Many participants from developing countries have an active interest in the educational programmes (particular distance learning programmes) and teaching materials used in undergraduate and graduate courses in veterinary pharmacology and toxicology (including food toxicology). Strengthening the multilateral communication about education and competence of veterinary professionals throughout the world will become a core objective of EAVPT in the forthcoming years. The education of veterinary specialists in pharmacology and toxicology in Europe is provided by the EBVS-recognized College for Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology (ECVPT). As an organization, ECVPT acts as a co-organizer of EAVPT Congresses in presenting training workshops and specific sessions. At EAVPT2012, a one-day pre-congress course in quantitative pharmacology was offered, and ECVPT diplomates were among the most active congress participants. The last session of an EAVPT Congress traditionally includes reflections of past and future objectives in veterinary pharmacology and toxicology and an invitation to the next EAVPT Congress. The forthcoming 13th International Congress of the European Association for Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology will be held in Nantes, France, in the summer of 2015.