AVMA seeks nominations for committee on antimicrobials

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is looking for veterinarians with expertise in public health to apply for a three-year term as the primary or alternate at-large member of the association's newly established Committee on Antimicrobials, according to an AMVA release.

The nomination materials (available for download here) for the at-large position must be received by the AVMA no later than July 25, 2016. They can be submitted by email (officeevp@avma.org), fax (847-925-0944) or by mail to AVMA Office of the Executive Vice President, 1931 N. Meacham Rd. Suite 100, Schaumburg, Illinois, 60173.

The Committee on Antimicrobials will advise the AVMA Board of Directors and oversee all antimicrobial-related issues for the AVMA. The board says that gathering expertise and oversight into a single entity with the authority to create virtual working groups will better focus veterinary expertise and resources, enhance the effectiveness of activities and improve timeliness of decisions, according to the release.

The committee's duties will be to develop and recommend an overarching strategy to allow the veterinary profession to share recommendations for policy and implementation with legislators, regulators, the marketplace and other stakeholders, the release states. It will also serve as the lead AVMA entity in the association's collaboration with similarly focused stakeholders in a One Health approach to mitigating antimicrobial resistance.

Nominees for primary and alternate members to fill the other eight of the nine voting seats will be requested from allied veterinary associations. The first meeting of the Committee on Antimicrobials will be held at the AVMA headquarters November 10-11, 2016.