Massive breakthrough as Irish government confirms permission to import vital vaccine for 2025 breeding season

The Irish government confirmed on Monday evening that it has obtained permission to import a vital vaccine for the 2025 breeding season.

Further details, as well as the protocols, timelines and terms and conditions for the use of Arvac, the only inactivated vaccine against Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) licenced for use in the European Union, will be made known by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on Tuesday. However, breeding organisations across Europe believe that the news sets a precedent which Britain and EU member states can follow.

With the continuing unavailability of Arvac, the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders Associations (EFTBA) and member countries including Ireland, France and Germany had lobbied hard for permission to be granted to import Arvac from the United States.

On Monday evening the DAFM indicated that these efforts had been successful.

EFTBA chairman Joe Hernon said: "This is a clear illustration of the importance of EFTBA and its ability to lobby at EU and national levels, on behalf of our industry."

EVA is a notifiable disease in the Republic of Ireland that can cause pregnancy loss in mares and infertility in stallions and without a vaccine, the thoroughbred racing and breeding industries were facing an existential threat.

That seems to have been averted with this development.

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