Classical swine fever research at the Council of Agriculture's Animal Health Research Institute receives OIE certification

The world's eighth top-level classical swine fever reference laboratory held an unveiling ceremony on the 6th at the Council of Agriculture's Animal Health Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as the Animal Health Research Institute). Council of Agriculture Minister Lin Tsung-hsien presented the "OIE Classical Swine Fever Reference Laboratory Certificate" to Dr. Chang Chia-yi of the institute's classical swine fever research group, commending her for her continuous efforts in her position, her accumulated classical swine fever research achievements, and her ultimate recognition by an international organization, making an outstanding contribution to our country's animal disease prevention work.

The Council of Agriculture stated that in recognizing the qualifications of reference laboratories, the World Organisation for Animal Health (abbreviated as OIE) mainly considers the research achievements of laboratory experts, laboratory equipment and management, and whether the laboratory actively interacts effectively with researchers and experts in the same field and can provide scientific and technical support and consultation in multiple aspects. Therefore, the Animal Health Research Institute's ability to obtain OIE certification and become a classical swine fever diagnostic reference laboratory is truly a major honor.

The tasks of a reference laboratory are arduous. In addition to assisting member countries with diagnostic methods for animal disease-related cases and providing the necessary diagnostic techniques and reagent kits in a timely manner, it must also strengthen research capacity and establish new disease diagnostic methods to share with OIE member countries. In addition, it should provide training to member country personnel in relevant disease diagnostic techniques, inter-laboratory cooperation and capability assessment, and promote OIE members' control of animal diseases and resource sharing.

The Animal Health Research Institute explained that it has a long history of researching classical swine fever, from the early successful development of a lapinized classical swine fever vaccine that effectively controlled this major malignant infectious disease threatening Taiwan's pig farming industry, to now obtaining OIE certification and being ranked alongside Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, Canada, Japan, mainland China and Spain as one of the OIE's eight top classical swine fever reference laboratories in the world. In the future, the various administrative measures of the classical swine fever eradication plan will steadily achieve the goal of eradicating classical swine fever.