FDA’s Efforts to Advance Antimicrobial Stewardship in Veterinary Settings

Antimicrobial drugs, when used correctly, fight infections, but when antimicrobials are overused or misused, they promote antimicrobial resistant bacteria.

Efforts at implementing good antimicrobial stewardship practices have been a mainstay in human healthcare for years and remains a top priority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, over the passed few years the FDA has focused on antimicrobial efforts in veterinary settings.

The FDA recently announced it will implement an new, five-year blueprint for how they plan to continue to advance antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings, with the ultimate goal of reducing overuse of antimicrobial drugs and combating the rising threat of resistance in the veterinary population.

The Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), which is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of animal drugs, including all antimicrobials, has updated the approved conditions for medically important antimicrobials to support the judicious use in food-producing animals. The FDAs believes medically important antimicrobial drugs should only be used when necessary to treat, control or prevent disease and, when necessary, used in an optimal manner under the oversight of a licensed veterinarian.

In January 2017, the FDA announced the completion of Guidance for Industry #213 (GFI #213), which transitioned medically important antimicrobials that are used in feed or drinking water of food-producing animals to veterinary oversight, and eliminate the use of these products in animals for production purposes (i.e. growth promotion).

The FDA plans to publish a blueprint regarding the additional steps it will take to continue to address antimicrobial resistance in veterinary settings. Baer Law will have updates when available.