An animal health organisation has adopted the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) list of 'critically important antibiotics' to help farmers reduce use of certain antibiotics.
This decision means that the UK farming industry should be aiming to reduce use of fluoroquinolones, 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins, and colistin, and only be using these antibiotics where no other product will be effective for the condition being treated.
The EMA’s list of highest priority ‘critically important antibiotics’ has been identified because of a degree of risk to human health should antimicrobial resistance develop after use in animals.
The list has been adopted by RUMA, the agricultural and food industry alliance which promotes responsible use of medicines in farm animals.
Slightly different lists of highest priority ‘critically important antibiotics’ are published by the World Health Organisation, the US Food and Drug Agency and the EMA, generating keen debate within farming and the food chain about which should be observed.
The decision for RUMA to adopt the EMA list was made after discussions with its members and with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, which itself follows the EMA’s recommendations.
Different risks
John FitzGerald, Secretary General of RUMA, explains that different agencies produce their own priority lists as they assess different risks.
“The conclusion is that in the UK, the list of highest priority CIAs should reflect the recommendations of the EMA’s Antimicrobial Expert Group,” he explains.
“This group, comprising a wide range of specialist European organisations, has made its recommendations after examining the impact the use of antibiotics in animals has on public and animal health in the EU, and measures to manage the possible risk to humans.
“Most importantly, the EMA’s recommendations are reassessed as new science emerges.”
Fluroquinolones and colistin
Sales of antibiotics on the EMA’s highest priority ‘critically important antibiotics’ list make up a small proportion of the 56mg/PCU total antibiotic use in livestock.
UK veterinary sales data show the industry is already acting with reductions in sales of both fluoroquinolones and 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins between 2014 and 2015.
While colistin sales were static between 2014 and 2015, this was at almost 1/10th of the EMA’s recommended level of use.
RUMA understands that voluntary restrictions brought in at the end of 2015 following the development of resistance to colistin internationally mean that 2016 sales data, to be published at the end of the year, should show reductions in colistin use.
