Veterinary medicines, vaccines, and technologies are advancing at a remarkable pace, resulting in breakthrough therapies and scientific discoveries across the industry. The same breakthroughs transforming medicine for people—including mRNA technology, monoclonal antibodies, wearable devices, and AI-driven drug discovery—are rapidly reshaping the future of animal health and welfare. Innovations that once seemed out of reach are now readily available, benefiting farmers, pet owners, and society as a whole.
Despite these dramatic benefits, animal health accounts for just 0.6 percent of global health spending. That investment gap risks slowing one of the fastest-moving frontiers in medicine and delaying breakthroughs that benefit both animals and people. After all, animal health is not adjacent to human health but integral to it.
As we explore new scientific frontiers, we are only beginning to see what's possible. We don't have to imagine why these breakthroughs matter. The latest example is already here.
New World screwworm—a parasitic fly that lays flesh-eating maggots in warm-blooded animals–has entered the United States, threatening farm animals, companion animals, and the nation's beef supply. Though previous outbreaks in Texas during the 1970s and the Florida Keys in 2016 were ultimately contained, the parasite's return has alarmed farmers and pet owners. Thankfully, we have powerful new tools to suppress this outbreak and others like it.
Scientists are using gene-editing techniques—originally developed to help treat human diseases—to produce sterile flies that could stop the parasite's rapid reproduction. Novel pour-on treatments to prevent and treat screwworm are being deployed in southern border states, prioritizing prevention as the first line of defense. The USDA is funding some 40 research projects on experimental approaches to kill off screwworm.
It's part of a much broader wave of innovation. Animal health scientists have been leveraging it for more than a decade, including through a distinct approach known as RNA particle technology, which utilizes self-amplifying RNA. Novel vaccines for swine influenza, canine influenza, and feline leukemia use this specialized technology to design and deliver mRNA sequences, helping to secure the food supply and keep our pets healthy.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
