A meeting of the 84th General Session of the World Assembly of National Delegates to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) resulted in the proposal of basic principles needed to combat antimicrobial resistance.
The proposal for international standards of antimicrobial stewardship principles follows greater awareness and legislation controlling the sale and use of antimicrobial medicines in animals. A study conducted by the OIE had previously found that there is a lack of legislation regulating the importation, manufacturing, distribution, and use of veterinary medicines such as antimicrobials in greater than 110 of the 130 countries surveyed.
Furthermore, a study conducted in 2012 found that 22 percent of countries with legislation for veterinary medicine do not have quality control measures included in the legislation. The OIE stresses that, regardless of the animal health situations in the given member countries, the strategy presented should provide valuable tools for antimicrobial resistance management.
The proposal, which will be voted on by the National Delegates of OIE, provides members with a framework to legally build and maintain an antimicrobial resistance management infrastructure in their country. The framework will include guidance to carry out the following initiatives:
- Regulation of the manufacturing, distribution, and use of antimicrobials in animals in alignment with international standards;
- Training of veterinarians and animal health professionals;
- Communication and education among stakeholders;
- Utilization of high-quality medicines and alternatives;
- Veterinary supervision of judicious antimicrobial use in animals; and,
- Monitoring of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance trends.
A press release on the proposed principles is available here, and further information on the OIE’s antimicrobial resistance resources and tools may be found here.
