Risks related to the introduction of exotic diseases: a European view.

The European Union (EU) has historically been free of a number of epidemic diseases of livestock and is approaching eradication of several others. This situation is put at risk by the importation of live animals and animal products. Animal products include products which are broadly described as veterinary biologicals. For the purposes of assessing and controlling risks, these fall into two groups: crude products (e.g. serum and other blood products) and medicinal products (e.g. vaccines and other immunological products). This second group is covered by another paper in this issue of the Review. Risk reduction methods may be applied to crude veterinary biologicals pre- or post-importation. Pre-importation methods include product treatment, or ensuring that the source of the product is "risk-free'. Post-importation risk reduction involves product testing, or treatment achieved by channelling products to commercial operations which are covered by European medicines legislation. At present, EU Member States issue health certificates individually for crude veterinary biologicals, and conditions for entry may differ between States. This process will soon be harmonised (the provisions for marketing medicinal products have already been harmonised).