AnimalhealthEurope has just published an overview of actions the animal medicines industry is taking to promote responsible use of antibiotics and preserve the continued efficacy of these precious tools. This complements the focus of this year’s European Antibiotic Awareness Day – #KeepAntibioticsWorking – and demonstrates our firm commitment to doing our part in addressing the global health challenge of antibiotic resistance, a One Health concern.

“We actively promote the ‘prevention is better than cure’ approach. Our membership invests on average 8% of turnover on R&D efforts for veterinary vaccines, novel anti-infectives and other approaches to managing infectious disease in animals. This, along with promoting improved hygiene measures and health planning, helps to reduce the need to use antibiotic treatment. Nevertheless, antibiotics will always remain an important resource for vets to prevent, control and treat disease in animals. It is therefore vital that, along with public health and the environment, animal health and welfare remains a central focus of any national action plan to address antibiotic resistance”, said Roxane Feller, AnimalhealthEurope Secretary General.

AnimalhealthEurope is also a signatory to the global ‘Animal health sector commitments and actions on antibiotic use‘, which is supported by over 200 companies and associations, and 700,000 veterinarians worldwide.

“Transparency from monitoring antibiotic use and wide-spread awareness-raising on responsible use has helped to reduce unnecessary use of veterinary antibiotics in Europe, and we are encouraged to see the efforts of the animal health industry and the wider agri-food sector being recognised. We can only agree with a recent comment* from UK Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies that we need to build on this momentum and continue to do more, in every sector, and in every country, to stay ahead of antibiotic resistance”, concluded Ms. Feller.

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For further information please contact: Clare Carlisle, Public Relations Manager, c.carlisle(@)animalhealtheurope.eu – +32 474 388711

Notes for Editors

An overview of the industry’s actions in Europe to address antibiotic resistance can be found on: AnimalhealthEurope.eu/AntibioticAction

*Press release from the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and Department of Health – 27 October 2017

AnimalhealthEurope was invited by European Antibiotic Awareness Day to produce a video pledge, viewable via our YouTube channel.

AnimalhealthEurope is the representative body of manufacturers of veterinary medicines, vaccines and other animal health products in Europe. It represents innovators and generics alike, as well as large, medium-sized and small companies. AnimalhealthEurope promotes a single market in veterinary medicines across the EU ensuring the availability of medicines to protect the health and welfare of animals.

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