News & Reports
News & Reports VETERINARY MEDICINES
‘Positive trend’ in veterinary antibiotic use in Europe THERE are encouraging signs of more responsible use of antibiotics in animals in Europe, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A report published by the agency on October 15 indicates that sales of veterinary antimicrobials fell overall by 15 per cent in Europe between 2010 and 2012. Of the 20 European countries that provided data for the whole of this period, 18 observed decreases ranging from 0.4 per cent to 49 per cent. Data on the sales of veterinary antimicrobials in Europe are collected annually as part of the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) project, which was launched in 2010. The project is a collaboration between the national authorities throughout the European Union (EU) and is coordinated by the EMA. The latest report is the fourth in a series, and covers sales up to 2012. ‘These latest figures, which suggest a positive trend in terms of the responsible use of antibiotics in animals in Europe, are highly welcome,’ said David Mackay, head of the EMA’s division on veterinary medicines. ‘However, the report also shows that there is scope for further decrease. Measures to promote the rational use of antibiotics in animals need to continue as part of the European Commission’s action plan against antimicrobial resistance.’ In total, 26 EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries submitted data to the EMA for sales of veterinary antimicrobial products in 2012. The data from these 26 countries cover about 95 per cent of the food-producing animal population in the EU/EEA area. Most of the sales were accounted for by pharmaceutical forms applicable to mass or group treatments, with sales of premixes in 2012 accounting for 35.5 per cent of the overall sales. Oral powders accounted for 33.7 per cent of sales and oral solutions for 22.3 per cent. The EMA reports that there was considerable variation between countries in terms of the amount of these three pharmaceutical forms sold. Injectable preparations accounted for 7.5 per cent of overall sales and intramammaries for 0.7 per cent, and 0.3 per
cent of sales were oral pastes and bolus and intrauterine preparations. Discussing prescribing patterns for various classes of veterinary antimicrobials, the EMA notes that, again, there was substantial variation between countries. In particular, there were ‘notable variations’ in the proportions of sales accounted for by the ‘critically important antimicrobials’ – those deemed to have the highest priority in human medicine. Third- and fourthgeneration cephalosporins accounted for between 0.01 per cent and 1.2 per cent of sales in the countries submitting data, while sales of fluroquinolones ranged between 0.02 per cent and 11 per cent. Macrolides accounted for between 0.04 per cent and 17 per cent of sales.
Reduction targets
The Netherlands recorded the greatest fall in sales of veterinary antimicrobials between 2010 and 2012 – a decrease of 49 per cent. This, the EMA suggests, ‘is the result of efforts of the major production sectors and veterinarians, who in 2010 agreed with the government to set reduction targets for the use of antimicrobial agents in animal production’. The targets set were a 20 per cent reduction in 2011 and a 50 per cent reduction in 2012 compared to 2009 levels. The EMA notes that the Dutch government has now set a new reduction target of 70 per cent for 2015 compared with 2009 levels. Overall, sales in the UK declined by 2 per cent between 2010 and 2012. However, the EMA notes that, from 2011 to 2012, there was actually an increase in the sales of veterinary antimicrobials in the UK, with the main increase being sales of tetracyclines. ‘One explanation for this could be altered product-purchasing behaviour in anticipation of a change of marketing authorisation holder(s) for certain tetracycline-containing products between 2010 and 2011, leading to an increase in sales prior to the change and a corresponding subsequent reduction in sales in early 2011,’ the report suggests. It adds that data for the sales of tetracycline products in 2012 are in line with figures from previous years, before the change in marketing authorisation
holder(s), and concludes: ‘This increase in sales is therefore not considered necessarily to be reflective of a change in actual use of this antimicrobial class.’ The EMA notes that there could be a number of reasons why sales declined in many European countries between 2010 and 2012. These include: the introduction of national programmes and campaigns on the responsible use of antimicrobials; restrictions on the use of certain antimicrobials; increased awareness of the threat of antimicrobial resistance; the setting of reduction targets for the use of antimicrobials in animal production in certain member states; and fluctuations in size and types of animal populations. ‘While additional analysis is needed to confirm the main reasons for this decline, the reduction in the use of antibiotics is a positive sign,’ the EMA concludes.
Data collection
IFAH-Europe, which represents the animal health industry in Europe, welcomed the ESVAC report, saying that it supported the concept of transparency of antibiotic use in animals in line with the European Commission’s action plan on antimicrobial resistance. In a statement on October 15, IFAHEurope said that the principle of collecting data to help inform decision-making was important, and that the work of the ESVAC had been ‘invaluable’ in initiating transparency across the EU. ‘For Europe’s animal health industry it is essential to ensure the responsible use of antibiotics and transparency at the use phase,’ it said. ‘Monitoring and transparency, as well as the promotion of education on what responsible use of antibiotics means, is vital to ensure their continued use in the future to safeguard the health of animals and people alike.’ n ‘Sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents in 26 EU/EEA countries in 2012. Fourth ESVAC report’ can be downloaded from www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/ document_library/Report/2014/10/ WC500175671.pdf doi: 10.1136/vr.g6388 October 25, 2014 | Veterinary Record | 389
News & Reports VETERINARY MEDICINES
‘Positive trend’ in veterinary antibiotic use in Europe THERE are encouraging signs of more responsible use of antibiotics in animals in Europe, according to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A report published by the agency on October 15 indicates that sales of veterinary antimicrobials fell overall by 15 per cent in Europe between 2010 and 2012. Of the 20 European countries that provided data for the whole of this period, 18 observed decreases ranging from 0.4 per cent to 49 per cent. Data on the sales of veterinary antimicrobials in Europe are collected annually as part of the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) project, which was launched in 2010. The project is a collaboration between the national authorities throughout the European Union (EU) and is coordinated by the EMA. The latest report is the fourth in a series, and covers sales up to 2012. ‘These latest figures, which suggest a positive trend in terms of the responsible use of antibiotics in animals in Europe, are highly welcome,’ said David Mackay, head of the EMA’s division on veterinary medicines. ‘However, the report also shows that there is scope for further decrease. Measures to promote the rational use of antibiotics in animals need to continue as part of the European Commission’s action plan against antimicrobial resistance.’ In total, 26 EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries submitted data to the EMA for sales of veterinary antimicrobial products in 2012. The data from these 26 countries cover about 95 per cent of the food-producing animal population in the EU/EEA area. Most of the sales were accounted for by pharmaceutical forms applicable to mass or group treatments, with sales of premixes in 2012 accounting for 35.5 per cent of the overall sales. Oral powders accounted for 33.7 per cent of sales and oral solutions for 22.3 per cent. The EMA reports that there was considerable variation between countries in terms of the amount of these three pharmaceutical forms sold. Injectable preparations accounted for 7.5 per cent of overall sales and intramammaries for 0.7 per cent, and 0.3 per
cent of sales were oral pastes and bolus and intrauterine preparations. Discussing prescribing patterns for various classes of veterinary antimicrobials, the EMA notes that, again, there was substantial variation between countries. In particular, there were ‘notable variations’ in the proportions of sales accounted for by the ‘critically important antimicrobials’ – those deemed to have the highest priority in human medicine. Third- and fourthgeneration cephalosporins accounted for between 0.01 per cent and 1.2 per cent of sales in the countries submitting data, while sales of fluroquinolones ranged between 0.02 per cent and 11 per cent. Macrolides accounted for between 0.04 per cent and 17 per cent of sales.
Reduction targets
The Netherlands recorded the greatest fall in sales of veterinary antimicrobials between 2010 and 2012 – a decrease of 49 per cent. This, the EMA suggests, ‘is the result of efforts of the major production sectors and veterinarians, who in 2010 agreed with the government to set reduction targets for the use of antimicrobial agents in animal production’. The targets set were a 20 per cent reduction in 2011 and a 50 per cent reduction in 2012 compared to 2009 levels. The EMA notes that the Dutch government has now set a new reduction target of 70 per cent for 2015 compared with 2009 levels. Overall, sales in the UK declined by 2 per cent between 2010 and 2012. However, the EMA notes that, from 2011 to 2012, there was actually an increase in the sales of veterinary antimicrobials in the UK, with the main increase being sales of tetracyclines. ‘One explanation for this could be altered product-purchasing behaviour in anticipation of a change of marketing authorisation holder(s) for certain tetracycline-containing products between 2010 and 2011, leading to an increase in sales prior to the change and a corresponding subsequent reduction in sales in early 2011,’ the report suggests. It adds that data for the sales of tetracycline products in 2012 are in line with figures from previous years, before the change in marketing authorisation
holder(s), and concludes: ‘This increase in sales is therefore not considered necessarily to be reflective of a change in actual use of this antimicrobial class.’ The EMA notes that there could be a number of reasons why sales declined in many European countries between 2010 and 2012. These include: the introduction of national programmes and campaigns on the responsible use of antimicrobials; restrictions on the use of certain antimicrobials; increased awareness of the threat of antimicrobial resistance; the setting of reduction targets for the use of antimicrobials in animal production in certain member states; and fluctuations in size and types of animal populations. ‘While additional analysis is needed to confirm the main reasons for this decline, the reduction in the use of antibiotics is a positive sign,’ the EMA concludes.
Data collection
IFAH-Europe, which represents the animal health industry in Europe, welcomed the ESVAC report, saying that it supported the concept of transparency of antibiotic use in animals in line with the European Commission’s action plan on antimicrobial resistance. In a statement on October 15, IFAHEurope said that the principle of collecting data to help inform decision-making was important, and that the work of the ESVAC had been ‘invaluable’ in initiating transparency across the EU. ‘For Europe’s animal health industry it is essential to ensure the responsible use of antibiotics and transparency at the use phase,’ it said. ‘Monitoring and transparency, as well as the promotion of education on what responsible use of antibiotics means, is vital to ensure their continued use in the future to safeguard the health of animals and people alike.’ n ‘Sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents in 26 EU/EEA countries in 2012. Fourth ESVAC report’ can be downloaded from www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/ document_library/Report/2014/10/ WC500175671.pdf doi: 10.1136/vr.g6388 October 25, 2014 | Veterinary Record | 389
