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AgVetLink February 2003

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• the prohibition on using certain antibiotics of concern for growth promotion; 
• the introduction of the stratified prescription animal remedy classification for antibiotics; and 
• the mandatory requirements to provide calendarised annual sales of antibiotics

have not yet influenced the pattern of sales.

While overall sales of antibiotics increased during 2001, there was a shift away from the use of antibiotics important in human medicines to ones that have been assessed as not relevant to the potential antibiotic resistance problem. There were no sales of antibiotics for growth promotion purposes during the year. Of equal significance, there was not a marked rise in the sale of the relevant antibiotics for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes that would indicate a superficial shift from growth promotion to prophylactic or therapeutic uses.

Surveillance and monitoring

In 2000 the Animal Remedies Board recommended that there be a review of the surveillance programme for zoonotic animal pathogens and commensal bacteria that may contribute to the potential antibiotic resistance problem. Initial meetings were held between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to examine existing surveillance programmes and determine what specifications should be set for a programme that would provide useful information about the development of antibiotic resistance in animals. It was noted that little surveillance that would shed light on the role of animal to human transfer of resistance was being carried out. While there is extensive microbiological monitoring of specific pathogens in food-producing animals, the programmes are not designed to gather information specific to antibiotic resistance. At that stage there was insufficient definition of the problem to create meaningful parameters for an appropriate surveillance programme. No changes in existing programmes were made at that time.

Recently the Ministry of Health, New Zealand Food Safety Authority and ESR have met to consider any new information that might help set appropriate surveillance parameters. The outcome of discussions will be reported in a future issue of AgVetLink.

Non-regulatory initiatives to minimise antibiotic resistance

In addition to the revision of antibiotic registrations mentioned above, there have been other initiatives to minimise antibiotic resistance.

The ACVM Group is considering a code of practice lodged by the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) for approval under section 28 of the ACVM Act. This will give statutory recognition to standards for veterinary prescription writing that are equivalent to those that must be met by medical practitioners when writing prescriptions. Although the proposed code of practice is not necessarily intended to reduce the use of veterinary antibiotics, it should ensure that they are prescribed in a professional and consistent manner. While the code of practice has not been approved yet, it has already been adopted by the NZVA and incorporated into their members' manual.

The NZVA, Veterinary Council of New Zealand and the veterinary pharmaceutical industry have endorsed a standard for the promotion of prescription products, including antibiotics. This standard discourages the promotion of products in a manner that puts pressure on veterinarians to prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily.

The regulatory changes have progressed as intended and the effects of the changes should begin to have an impact on use and sales in the near future.

Codes of Practice Update

Royal Society Code of Practice

The code of practice developed by the Royal Society covering the use of veterinary and human medicines by non-veterinarians in research, testing and teaching institutions has been approved under the ACVM Act.

Grooms Code of Practice

The New Zealand Veterinary Association's code of practice covering the use of veterinary medicines by grooms travelling with horses has also been approved under the ACVM Act.

Details of where to obtain the codes of practice, along with details of other approved codes, can be found on the ACVM website (http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/registers-lists/cop.htm).