News
The One Health Commission (OHC) www.onehealthcommission.org is an incorporated, not-for-profit organization based in the United States with headquarters currently located in Washington, D.C. The OHC and the One Health Initiative website established website links on April 6, 2010. At that time, following discussions (beginning since the incorporation of the OHC), the two joined forces in a collaborative, mutually cooperative liaison. Both have the same goals, i.e. implementation and institutionalization of the One Health concept in the U.S. and worldwide as soon as feasible. The One Health Commission (OHC) is a call to action for collaboration and cooperation among health science professions, academic institutions, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industries towards improved assessment, treatment, and prevention of cross-species disease transmission and mutually prevalent, but non-transmitted [i.e. non-infectious diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoarthritis, etc], human and animal diseases and medical conditions. A changing environment populated by interconnected animal and human contact creates significant challenges. These challenges require integrated solutions and call for collaborative leadership. The OHC (USA) Board of Directors includes:Albert J. Osbahr, III, MD; Chair, James Fox, DVM, MS, Vice Chair; Michael B. Cates, DVM, MPH; Susan Polan, PhD; Elizabeth Bishop; Wiley Souba, MD, BSc, MBA; John Fischer, DVM, PhD; and Roger K. Mahr, DVM, Chief Executive Officer.These individuals represent respectively, the American Medical Association (AMA), Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Public Health Association (APHA), Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AVWA). Now representing AMA as the Chair of the One Health Commission (USA) is physician, Dr. Albert J. Osbahr, III, Immediate Past President, North Carolina Medical Society, a longstanding One Health supporter/advocate and visionary leader: http://wncsafetyschool.com/docs/2009_Speakers/Osbahr.PDF Albert J. Osbahr, MD, resides in Hickory, North Carolina with his wife, Beth, and two sons, where he serves as the Medical Director at the Catawba Valley Medical Center, Occupational Health Services. In addition, he works as Corporate Medical Director at Blue Ridge Paper Corporation and as a Medical Consultant/Lab Director at the Haywood County Health Department. Dr. Osbahr graduated from the UNC-CH Medical School with a primary specialty in Occupational Medicine and a secondary specialty in Family Medicine/Preventive Medicine. He has a long history of serving in organized medicine and currently holds a position as a member of the Council on Science and Public Health at the AMA in addition to his position on the Board at the NC Medical Society. He also serves on several committees at the NC Medical Society, such as the NC Industrial Commission Liaison Committee and the Family and Public Health Committee. __________________________________________________Historical Perspective:The One Health Initiative website autonomous, pro bono team believes that when the 21st century history of the One Health movement is written for the United States, the late President of the American Medical Association, physician Ronald M. Davis, MD shall be known as a modern day “One Health” visionary leader. Dr. Davis joined hands with the American Veterinary Medical Association in collaboration with AVMA past President, veterinarian Roger K. Mahr, DVM, current OHC/CEO and others in recognizing the huge, untapped wealth of public health and individual health care horizons possible by implementation of One Health principles—a centuries old idea (see http://veterinaryrecord.bvapublications.com/cgi/reprint/157/22/673; http://www.izs.it/vet_italiana/2007/43_1/5_19.pdf and http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(07)01082-0/fulltext. Dr. Davis shepherded the first of its kind “One Health resolution” through the American Medical Association and gained an historic adoption in support of the concept in June 2007. Three members of the current One Health Initiative team, Laura H. Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP, Thomas P. Monath, MD and Bruce Kaplan, DVM assisted in the drafting of this document—primarily by Dr. Kahn with careful and diligent guidance by Dr. Davis. In a July 2, 2007 message, Dr. Davis wrote:Im delighted that the AMA House of Delegates has approved a resolution calling for increased collaboration between the human and veterinary medical communities and I look forward to seeing a stronger partnership between physicians and veterinarians. Emerging infectious diseases, with the threats of cross-species transmission and pandemics, represent one of many reasons why the human and veterinary medical professions must work more closely together. Best wishes,Ron Subsequently many other national and international organizations including the AVMA adopted similar One Health resolutions. A partial list of known organizational One Health supporters includes: American Veterinary Medical AssociationAmerican Medical AssociationSociety for Tropical Veterinary MedicineCroatian Society for Infectious DiseasesAmerican Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene World Association of Veterinary Laboratory DiagnosticiansDelta Society American Association of Veterinary Laboratory DiagnosticiansAmerican Physiological SocietyAmerican Phytopathological SocietyAssociation of American Veterinary Medical CollegesAssociation of Schools of Public HealthAmerican Society for MicrobiologyNational Association of State Public Health VeterinariansCouncil of State and Territorial EpidemiologistsAssociation of Academic Health CentersAssociation of American Medical CollegesImmuno Valley Consortium in The NetherlandsIndian Veterinary Public Health AssociationThe Institute for Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Food Safety Lazio and Tuscany Regions ItalyItalian Society of Preventive MedicineCorporation Red SPVet, Bogota, ColombiaNational Environmental Health AssociationState Environmental Health DirectorsVeterinarians without Borders/ Vétérinaires sans Frontières – CanadaNigerian Veterinary Medical AssociationThe Global Alliance for Rabies Control American College of Veterinary MicrobiologistsThe Institute of Tropical Medicine, Department of Animal Health, Antwerp, Belgium American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians The SAPUVET III Project Nigerian Biomedical and Life Scientists New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine (NZCCM) – AucklandAmerican College of Veterinary PathologyUnited States Animal Health AssociationExuberant AnimalOne Health Commission (USA)American Public Health AssociationAssociation of Fish and Wildlife Agencies To reiterate a pertinent quote in a 2009 professional journal article that was inspired by co-author Mary Echols, DVM, MPH: “…no single person, no single health profession, no single organization, and no single nation or people invented or owns One Health. It is an all inclusive, co-equal endeavor that belongs to all of humanity. A caveat: while honest debate over efficacious process should be welcome, factionalism should not.” See ‘One Health’ - the Rosetta stone for 21st century health and health providers :http://www.izs.it/vet_italiana/2009/45_3/377.htm Note: Dr. Echols is editor of the One Health Newsletter (USA), a quarterly online publication from the Florida Department of Health’s Division of Environmental Health (USA) http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/newsletter.php. By BK/4/12/2010
Quick Links
-
Please see MONOGRAPH in Veterinaria Italiana
“One Health – One Medicine”: linking human, animal and environmental health
Read More -
History of the One Health Initiative team and website (April 2006 through September 2015) and the One Health Initiative website since October 1, 2008 … revised to June 2020 and again to date February 2021
Read More -
Vaccines for zoonoses: a One Health paradigm
SciTech Europa Quarterly (March 2018) – Issue 26
Read More -
Pan European Networks SciTech Europa Quarterly
SciTech Europa Vaccines for zoonoses: a one Health paradigm – Pages 227-229 (Read PDF) “One of the One Health Initiative team’s co-founders and leaders is an internationally-recognized eminent physician…
Read More Read PDF