One Health Publications

• Home /
• About us /
• Latest News /
• From Earth observations to healthier societies: One Health in action at AmeriGEO Week 2025

“Environmental change, biodiversity loss and human health risks are increasingly connected. Responding to these complex challenges requires a One Health approach that recognises the deep links between ecosystems, animals and people, turning data into action. … By aligning standards, sharing expertise, and co-developing solutions, the GEO community is helping to build healthier ecosystems and societies.”

Streamed live on Jan 10, 2026

Using an interdisciplinary One Health approach, Dr. Laura Kahn will draw upon material from her book, “One Health and the Politics of Covid-19,” to talk about the history, science, research, and politics of coronaviruses. One Health is the concept that human, animal, plant, environmental, and ecosystem health are linked. This is a relatively new term, but an ancient concept recognized by indigenous peoples around the world. Coronaviruses are zoonotic viruses, meaning that they originate in non-human animals (i.e., bats) and spread to humans. The most well-known coronaviruses are Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Covid-19. Unlike SARS and MERS, which emerged in 2002 and 2012, respectively, Covid-19 appears unusual in some of its clinical manifestations. The gold standard evidence used to prove the natural origins of the earlier coronavirus epidemics is lacking with Covid-19. The origin of this virus remains controversial. Coronaviruses were first discovered by veterinarians in the early 1930s. Physicians discovered them in the 1960s while studying “the common cold” but assumed that they were merely nuisance microbes. Medical researchers lost interest in them until the shocking appearance of SARS. Gain-of-function research of pandemic potential pathogens, such as SARS, and the possibility that it might have led to Covid-19, raises concerns about the ethics and risks of this type of research. Dr. Laura H. Kahn is a physician, policy researcher, educator, and author. For almost 20 years, she was a research scholar in the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University. Her education and training encompass nursing, medicine, public health, and public policy. A native of California, Dr. Kahn holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from UC Los Angeles, a doctorate in medicine from the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University and a master’s degree in public policy from Princeton University. Dr. Kahn is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. In 2007, the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Physicians awarded her with their highest honor, the Laureate Award. In 2014, the American Association of Public Health Physicians awarded her with a Presidential Award for Meritorious Service, and in 2016, the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society (AVES) awarded her with their highest honor for her work in One Health: the K.F. Meyer-James H. Steele Gold Head Cane Award.

Views expressed in this presentation are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Capital Area Skeptics.

A call for a new ethos

Human activities, coupled with compromised ecosystems, can boost the risk of new human and animal diseases developing and spreading. One Health aims to create new surveillance and disease control methods and enhance global health security.

By One Health Initiative Autonomous pro bono Team:

Laura H. Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP ▪ Bruce Kaplan, DVM ▪ Thomas P. Monath, MD ▪ Thomas M. Yuill, PhD ▪ Helena J. Chapman, MD, MPH, PhD ▪ Craig N. Carter, DVM, PhD ▪ Becky Barrentine, MBA ▪ Richard Seifman, JD, MBA

                            A call for a new ethos

“Henrik Lerner, PhD’s 2025 ‘first of its kind One Health book’ “Ethics for One Health Approaches: A Roadmap for Future Directions” analyzes the literature of the One Health Initiative (OHI) team as part of a thematic review of the field’s development from 2004 to June 2023.  Overall, the book’s historical perspective is the antithesis of others that frequently offer “D.R.I.P. (Data Rich, Information Poor)”.  Almost uniformly missing or only mentioned in passing from others, but noted in this book is the bottom-line foundation of the One Health concept (formerly “One Medicine”), i.e., the narrative is built upon the historical contributions of four key figures, two physicians and two veterinarians, who bridged the gap between human and animal health; nowadays advocates and supporters have expanded exponentially to a marvelous and invaluable plethora of professional and occupational venues worldwide.  The book correctly characterizes it as having a diverse, interdisciplinary coalition extending beyond traditional medical fields …”

World Medical Association

“On 18 July 2025, the World Medical Association (WMA) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA) formalised the new memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the WVA General Assembly in Washington, DC [1]. Dr. John de Jong (WVA President) and Dr. Jack Resneck, Jr. (WMA Chair of Council) signed this agreement to reinforce their respective organisations’ shared commitment to One Health (Photo 1). This current MOU builds on the previous MOU, which was signed by Dr. Faouzi Kechrid (WVA President) and Dr. Cecil Wilson (WMA President) at the WMA General Assembly, held in Bangkok, Thailand, in October 2012 [2]. This agreement is intended to create increased collaboration to provide for a stronger future for human, animal, and environmental health. These three areas are inextricably intertwined and co dependent for sustainable life on Earth. …”

Also see: ‘One Medicine−One Health’: An Historic Perspective by One Health Initiative team, Pages 18 -27.

Contained in: Official Journal of The World Medical Association, Inc. Nr. 2, June World Medical Association (WMA) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA) Reinforce Shared Commitment to One Health

2023, Vol. 69

“An estimated 129 million Americans are entering 2026 battling at least one chronic disease. That’s nearly 40% of the U.S. population. It’s a reality that continues despite the record $4.9 trillion Americans spent on health care in the most recently reported year.

While no single solution exists to overcome America’s health woes, the next wave of breakthroughs could emerge at the intersection of farms, feed lots, food and pharmaceuticals.

It’s a concept known as One Health, a globally recognized discipline designed to advance health innovation and improve lives by recognizing and optimizing the interdependencies between people, plants, animals and the planet.

The opportunity has captured the attention of global leaders, and Indiana is among the few economies in the world with the scale and momentum to become its epicenter. …”

“… One Health holds the promise to improve the lives of millions, and Indiana has the assets to lead. The moment demands action to build on momentum, convert assets into impact and usher in a new era of One Health innovation. America and the rest of the world are counting on it.•

_____________

Mitch Frazier is president of IBJ Media.

See: https://www.ibj.com/articles/tech-ag-leader-mitch-frazier-named-president-of-ibj-media#:~:text=Subscriber%20Benefit,the%20Central%20Indiana%20Corporate%20Partnership.

Advancing Health Care in Humans, Animals and the Environment

SOHICOHE (Southern Highlands Community Health) runs various health, education, and environmental programs in Tanzania, focusing on community empowerment, tackling diseases like HIV/TB/Malaria, improving WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene), managing e-waste, and implementing One Health surveillance, all aimed at building healthier, more resilient communities.

Here are some of SOHICOHE’s key programs:

• Antimicrobial Stewardship: Programs in both healthcare facilities and schools to combat antibiotic resistance..
• Community Health: Includes community health diagnosis surveys and empowerment initiatives.
• Disease Surveillance: Monitoring inequality in HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and implementing One Health (human-animal-environment) research.
•  Health: Focuses on e-waste management and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).

You can find more details and updates on their website.

Senate Bill 291, sponsored by Sen. Julie Morrison and Rep. Michelle Mussman. This bill establishes a state One Health Commission within IDPH. “One Health” refers to the recognition that human health is interconnected with the health of animal populations and the environment. A One Health approach covers zoonotic diseases (which can be transmitted from animals to humans) such as avian influenza, diseases carried by insects (including Lyme disease and West Nile virus), antimicrobial resistance, and other health concerns. The Commission will promote interdisciplinary communication and collaboration among doctors, veterinarians, other medical and scientific experts, and state agencies to develop a unified approach to these issues. The Commission will be co-chaired by the Director of IDPH and the president of the University of Illinois System (or their designees).