Human health and animal health experts will be sharing their views on the often polarizing topic of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance at the “Bridging the Gap between Animal Health and Human Health” symposium in Kansas City, MO, on Nov. 12-14.

Insight and the latest research findings on this highly important issue will be provided by Richard Raymond, former USDA Undersecretary for Food Safety;Katy Keiffer, producer and host of “What Doesn’t Kill You: Food Insights,” a weekly show covering food politics and policy for Heritage Radio Network.org;Craig Wilson, Costco's vice president of quality insurance, food safety and merchandise services;Tom Heinen, owner of Heinen’s Fine Foods with 17 stores throughout Ohio and Illinois. There will also be six speakers from the medical community and additional presenters from the animal agriculture and environmental health communities.

“This symposium will provide dialogue that will be interesting and eye opening—and even challenging,” states Nevil Speer, Western Kentucky University and co-chair of this symposium. He adds: “The first and second antibiotic symposium underscored the need for continued dialogue, as antibiotic use in animal and human health is often emotionally charged and plagued by misinformation and incomplete information.

“Finding resolution to antimicrobial resistance must begin with the end in mind: improving human and animal health. Each of us must think in bigger and broader dimensions and focus on collective interests and not positions. This symposium is moving toward that goal.”

The upcoming symposium provides a platform where individuals can hear scientific information and separate the scientific facts from perceived facts, according to Eric Moore, DVM, Merck Animal Health and co-chair of the symposium.

“Reaching resolution among human, animal and environmental health communities requires acceptance that the issues of antimicrobial use and resistance are not personal,” Moore says. “The scale and complexity of animal and human medical problems embedded in a changing environment demand that scientists and those involved in their respective communities—including myself—move beyond the confines of our own disciplines and explore new organizational models for team science.”

Hosted by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, the symposium is open to food retailersand leaders in public health, consumer advocacy and animal agriculture, the media and other individuals interested in discussing science and future strategiesto preserve antibiotic efficacy.

The agenda, presentation topics and confirmed presenters for the “Bridging the Gap between Animal Health and Human Health” symposium is available online at www.animalagriculture.org.

To register or to learn more about the symposium, visit www.animalagriculture.org or call (800) 237-7193.

A white paper summarizing the 2012 symposium, “A One Health Approach to Antimicrobial Use and Resistance: A Dialogue for a Common Purpose,” can be accessed online at NIAA’s website:www.animalagriculture.org