Curriculum Vitae - Dr. Johan Vanhemelrijck
Born 1951, Doctor in Veterinary medicine. Since 2002 he has been the Senior Director Industry Affairs Pharmacia Animal Health where he analyses political and procedure trends in the society and anticipates opinions of decision makers concerning animal health and animal health products at international level and especially in Europe. He also provides recommendations of high ethical level and in line with the best practices of business. Issues to tackle are Antibiotic Resistance, Crisis Management, Image of Hormonal Products, Acceptance of GMOs, Medicines Availability, Prudent Use, Good Practice, and image of pharmacovigilance.
Animal Health Manager/ Regional Technical Manager Europe between 1977 and 1989 at Upjohn Animal Health, Brussels. For 13 years, between 1989 and 2002 served as Secretary General of FEDESA (The European Federation for Animal Health). As an active member of the EPC (European Policy Centre) Risk Forum, he studied the consequence of the Precautionary Principle implementations in different sectors, and the need for proportionality.
Dr Vanhemelrijck represented the Veterinary Pharmaceutical industry opinions on the Hormone case, the BST case, the Antibiotic case but also on MRL regulation, the Need clause, the 4th Hurdle, the construction of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency. He has studied the influence of regulation on the competitiveness of the animal health industry in Europe compared to US in 1996 and 2001. He launched the awareness campaign on the over-regulation leading to lack of medicines availability for animals and negotiated better veterinary pharmaceutical regulation with the European authorities.
As an active member of the EPC Risk Forum he participated in drafting the Occasional Paper on the Precautionary Principle and as an active member of the EPC Better Regulation Working Party participated in many initiatives to define the features of a proper Regulatory Impact Assessment and Business Impact Assessment. As an industry member of the EAG (External Advice Group to DG RESEARCH) he participated in developing guidelines for checking the implementations of the 5th and the 6th Framework Program of DG Research.
Honorary Dean of the veterinary medical profession in the Royal workers elites.
