The least expected clash: the price of the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine and the danger of suspending vaccination

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, among other animals, and is characterized by fever and blistering of the mouth, nose, teats and feet. It is not transmitted to humans, but it is cause of rejection when exporting to all markets in the world.

When Carlos Menem was president, Argentina went many years without any outbreaks of this disease. And in 1995 the decision was made to suspend vaccination But in 2001 foot and mouth disease returned and The markets have closed. Only in 2003 did some of them manage to recover. Others have remained closed for 14 years.

For this reason it is strange that an increasingly large group of producers propose to suspend vaccination. They are inspired by the example of Brazil, the main meat exporter on the planet.

Behind that decision hide the price of the dose which they consider excessive and claim that it is double or triple that of other markets. This is what Federico Sturzenegger publicly claims, none other than the author of the Omnibus law.

Some Brazilian states decided there abandon vaccination what has already caused the closure of four production plants of the vaccine and criticism from Mercosur partners such as Paraguay, which has two factories that produce the vaccine, and Uruguay, which imports them, but strictly respects the vaccination program.

In both countries, health authorities are on alert for what is happening in Brazil, with 220 million heads. There are known outbreaks in Colombia and Venezuela that can do this affect the entire region.

As for the price of the dose, in Argentina, which has become expensive in dollars, it is requested to be imported. Diego La Torre, president and owner of the Tecnovax veterinary laboratory, asks to import some 25 million doses from Brazil at a substantially lower price.

The Tower indicates Clarion that there is a rule in Senasa, Animal Health Service, that requires the vaccine to have a special strain, which is the A2001 that the vaccine contains in Argentina. “That tension already It is not important, and works like a tariff rule, to prevent the vaccine from being brought in from other countries. The important thing is that the vaccine is effective, he says.

Of course, a vaccine is not like a cleaning product or jeans. Importation requires authorization under regulations similar to medicines. It is no coincidence that the vaccine could arrive from Brazil as following the aforementioned closure of the plant there is a stock in liquidation.

The price generates growing discomfort. The small producers represented by the Agrarian Federation who spoke about the “negative impactgiven that added to other healthcare tasks, the cost per dose skyrockets to $2,200.”

The price of discord

The laboratories that produce it in the country deny this figure. They claim to have sold it to those who apply it between November and January $550 per dose and the withdrawal occurred after 40 days, which gives a price of $0.65.

They add that the value has additional components because of the existing vaccination system in Argentina.

The strong fight to stop the epidemic in 2001 has left a legacy that many countries cherish. Here in an example of the Foundation to fight foot-and-mouth disease was born from public-private integration, Born on the initiative of the producing bodies and Senasa (Animal Health Service), it operates field by field, guaranteeing the cold chain of the vaccine and placement by professionals who respect animal welfare.

Bernardo Cané, former director of Senasa at the time of Menem and De la Rúa, explains: The foundations are a success story because they have eradicated the disease twice, be legal, legitimate and efficient. Thirty-four years of existence, having almost succeeded $7 billion in manufacturer funding. “Complete health activities together with Senasa.”

For the expert “the current system must continue and as regards the supply of vaccines based on the import authorization from Brazil, it must be analyzed with an open mind and without preconceptions”.

By the way, the vaccine always he was related with the value of the live kilo and historically equivalent to 600-800 grams of beef, the current $1,200-1,400 billed by the Foundation that puts the vaccine into the animal based on the future replacement cost. The rest is the cost of the service.

As for who produces the vaccine in the country, the leader is the one with most of the market Biogenesi Bagó, half of the Bagó family and the other 50% of Insud, of the Sigman family.

Since 1952 it has been an international point of reference and today has the largest factory on the planet, as well as being major exporters. After the plant built in China, They are building one in Saudi Arabia and another in South Korea.

The Veterinary Diagnostic Center (CDV) also operates, with the Chilean capital, which with an investment of 60 million dollars They are finishing the third veterinary vaccine plant, which they advertise as the most modern in the world, in the Pilar industrial park.

This group also produces vaccines for the ACAthe Association of Argentine Cooperatives which markets it among cooperative members.

There is very few vaccine factories in the world. There are 30 of them. Also because a plant for this type of vaccine requires an initial investment of 100 million dollars.

Here The vaccine is applied twice a year. One campaign runs from March to May and the second from October to December. Adult animals are vaccinated once and children twice. In this way Argentina needs 70 million doses per year and reaches at least 2019 foot and mouth disease, a health status recognized in all markets, which I hope will not be lost.