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As part of the measures in the Phase V workplan of the EuFMD to promote vaccine security, a proposal has been developed to establish a procedure for prequalification (PQv) of vaccines against Foot-and-Mouth and Similar Transboundary diseases. A PQv scheme is intended as the first step in establishing a system for Assured Emergency Supply Options (AESOPs) for FAST diseases. The PQv procedure aims to provide an independent peer review of information on the quality and properties of FMD vaccines. Ludovica Nela is a Communications Specialist at the EuFMD with a Master Degree in Government and Policies and Major in Communication and New Media. She interviewed David Mackay and Martin Ilott to learn more about the PQv procedure and the benefits of introducing this scheme for vaccine security.
David qualified as a veterinary surgeon and worked in general veterinary practice before embarking on a career as a research scientist in exotic viral diseases of livestock, specializing in FMD, and, ultimately as Head of the Pirbright Laboratory of the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) in the United Kingdom. He subsequently moved into the regulatory area, assuming posts as Head of Immunologicals and then Director of Licensing at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in the UK. David then worked at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in London as the Head of Veterinary Medicines and Product Data Management. After retiring from the EMA, David has taken on a number of consultancy roles and works as a vaccine technical security technical specialist with EuFMD .
Martin is a veterinarian who has spent most of his career in the regulation of veterinary medicines with a focus on veterinary vaccines in government, the EU, and the pharmaceutical sector. He completed a PhD at the World Reference Laboratory, Pirbright on FMD. He has had positions with National Regulatory Authorities in the UK (VMD) and Australia (The Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority; APVMA) and with the European Medicines Agency (EMA). He also spent many years with a major veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturer as a technical director for FMD vaccines and antigen banks and was head of compliance and biosecurity and the Qualified Person (QP) at one of the world's leading manufacturing sites of FMD vaccine in Pirbright. Martin now works as avaccine technical security technical specialist with EuFMD.
