WVPAC Global Congress Urges Wider Avian Influenza Vaccination
At the World Poultry Veterinary Association Global Congress (WVPAC 2025), attended by over 1,800 delegates, speakers called for expanded use of vaccination against avian influenza as part of a global control strategy. Experts emphasized that vaccination has proven highly effective in reducing and preventing transmission of HPAI, yet remains underutilized in many regions.
Dr. Leslie Sims stressed that reliance on stamping out alone is unsustainable, urging strategic vaccination combined with improved biosecurity. Dr. David Swayne highlighted major ecological changes in the virus, including its spread to mammals, and noted that emergency vaccination campaigns in France and Latin America have already succeeded.
WOAH affirmed that vaccination should not be viewed as a trade barrier, while Dr. Michel Bublot presented advances in new vaccine technologies. The congress concluded with a clear message: the science is settled, vaccination works. Governments must remove regulatory and political barriers to ensure poultry protection, food security, and public health.
