EBVM symposium – a first for UK
The UK has played host to its first-ever symposium of evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM). The event was held last Wednesday (October 30) in London, organised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Charitable Trust.
Over 160 delegates from veterinary practices, academia, industry, veterinary publishing and veterinary policy organisations attended the event.
The symposium aimed to discuss lessons learned from human medicine, and to encourage the development of a forward-looking strategy for implementing EBVM practices across the veterinary profession.
Speakers included Dr Brennen McKenzie, President of the American Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine Association (EBVMA), and Dr Sally Everitt, BSAVA Scientific Policy Officer and author of the SkeptVet blog.
It was suggested that organisations such as the trust, which has the only library open to veterinary practitioners offering access to the majority of veterinary literature, could have a vital role to play in embedding EBVM within veterinary practices.
Feedback received from delegates who attended the symposium deemed the Trust Library as “worthwhile”, and a “benefit for all the staff of [their] practice”. One delegate said that the symposium had given them ideas for many aspects of their job from clinical governance to their own appraisal of literature and research.
The delegate added: “It was an excellent use of my time. [I have] not been to an event like this before and would do it again. It inspired me and enthused ideas - very useful.”
Jill Nute, Chairman of the Trust Board, said: “I was delighted with the response to the RCVS Trust Symposium. I think there is a real role for the Trust in helping to develop a knowledge pool on evidence-based veterinary medicine, and I look forwards to pursuing this, with the Trustees.”
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
