Foot and mouth disease: lessons to be learned from the experience of France.

The appearance of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the United Kingdom in late February 2001 took European veterinary services by surprise. Differences in the types of measures taken by European countries, and in the speed with which they were implemented, partly explain the different animal health situations observed. France, as a major importer of British sheep, is an interesting country to study. The measures taken there are described in detail, as is the history of the two cases registered on 13 and 23 March 2001. The crisis management procedure is also detailed. The majority of the decisions taken and protocols followed are part of the national intervention plan for FMD. However, experience has shown that it is also important to remain pragmatic and to be able to adapt to new developments during the implementation of the plan. While pre-emptive killing may indeed have reduced the number of outbreaks in France, the social impact of such measures also needs to be taken into account in the development of animal health policy.