Six federal ministries are jointly anchoring One-Health in research: Successful research platform for zoonoses is being further developed

Under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), six departments are today publishing a new joint research agreement to strengthen the One Health approach in health research. The other departments are: the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG), the Federal Ministry of Defense (BMVg), the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Federal Research Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger explains:

“The COVID-XNUMX pandemic and the monkeypox outbreak have shown us once again how closely linked human health is to animal and environmental health. We counter this with the One Health approach, which aims to sustainably improve the health of people, animals and ecosystems. I am pleased that six federal ministries have now joined forces to firmly anchor this approach in research. To this end, we will, among other things, further develop the successful research platform for zoonoses into a research platform for One Health. Especially with a view to preventive health care, we are creating the basis for successful cooperation between different scientific disciplines such as human and veterinary medicine and environmental sciences, whether it is research into transmission routes, resistance development or wastewater management.”

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As early as 2006, the BMBF, the BMEL and the BMG passed a joint research agreement on zoonoses. Zoonoses are diseases whose pathogens can be transmitted between humans and animals. The BMVg was added as a further partner in 2016.

Two other federal ministries have now joined the new research agreement: the BMUV and the BMZ, because the health of humans, animals and plants is closely linked to the pollution of the environment - and not only locally, but worldwide. The six federal ministries are thus laying the foundation for strengthening the One Health approach holistically for people, animals, plants and the environment both at national and international level.

Further information: www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de/gemeinsam-fur-die-gesundheit-von-mensch-tier-und-umwelt

Source: Press release from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research from March 06.10.2022, XNUMX