Antibiotic resistance is a recognised global health concern, affecting both people and animals. As such, AnimalhealthEurope is a signatory association of the Global Animal Health Sector Commitments and Actions on Antibiotic Use published just one year ago.

As antibiotics are a precious resource for protecting our health and that of our animals, AnimalhealthEurope continues to be a strong advocate for their responsible use, in order to preserve their effectiveness for future generations.

Antibiotics will remain essential to the veterinary toolbox for the foreseeable future, and attempts to raise animals without using antibiotics may compromise their welfare and have an impact on farm sustainability. This is why AnimalhealthEurope and its membership have been proactively taking action against the challenge of antibiotic resistance through their Responsible Use stewardship, advocating that antibiotics should be used “as little as possible, as much as necessary”.

Our membership across Europe have developed a number of tools and initiatives, and are taking action as part of this stewardship to: provide guidance on responsible use; offer training for improving animal health; raise awareness on antibiotic resistance; and invest in the development of innovative products for preventing, diagnosing and treating animal diseases

These actions are supported by sustained One Health dialogue with all parties involved, taking into consideration human and animal health, and environmental impact. Based also on a firm foundation of harmonised data collection, monitoring and surveillance, we advocate a maximised use of data collected to improve understanding and provide evidence-based insights for policy-making on addressing antibiotic resistance.

Visit our website for specific actions and links to useful tools and resources:

Download our EAAD statement