European Medicines Agency calls for reducing antimicrobials use in animals

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said Tuesday that it was time to reduce the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, replace them where possible, and re-think the livestock production system.

The EMA said in its statement that reducing the use of antimicrobials in animals was essential for the future of animals and public health.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the world's most pressing public health issues and the use of antimicrobials in animals contributes to this problem.

According to the statement, experts from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and EMA reviewed European Union (EU) measures to reduce antimicrobials use in animals and said successful strategies followed an integrated, multifaceted approach which takes into account the local livestock production system and involves all relevant stakeholders.

Experts concluded that reducing antimicrobial use in food-producing animals would possibly lead to a general decrease in antimicrobial resistance in the bacteria that they carry and the food products derived from them, said the release.

In February, EFSA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) will publish their annual report on the levels of antimicrobial resistance in food, animals and humans across the EU, it said. Endit