- PDF Version (1.9M) - Print Friendly - Help

Food Focus May 2006

Antibiotic resistance: submissions received

Despite a lot of publicity surrounding the Expert Panel report to NZFSA’s

Antibiotic Resistance Steering Group, NZFSA received just a handful of submissions

Respondents expressed a wish for caution to ensure that regulatory action is not overly conservative and restrictive to the detriment of animal health and welfare. There was also concern about the potential to limit therapeutic options available to protect the health and welfare of animals.

One respondent described New Zealand’s present regulatory regime as prudent and conservative, relative to those of its trading partners.

Therapeutic options

Another who was opposed to any further intervention (particularly in regard to public health objectives about antimicrobial resistance) that might limit therapeutic options, said: “To achieve the desired control over animal diseases it is imperative that New Zealand maintains the availability of a comprehensive range of antimicrobials for animal use and the ability for veterinarians to prescribe antibiotics for therapeutic and prophylactic use.”

The Expert Panel and Antibiotic Resistance Steering Group consideredthat regulatory decisions must be based on sound scientific evidence and should not be restrictive, if there is no scientific evidence that the use of antimicrobials in New Zealand’s pastoral farming systems will lead to antimicrobial resistance.

The recommendation to develop and document ‘best practice’ guidelines for veterinarians in the appropriate use of antimicrobials was supported.

There was also a call for more specific recommendations. While supporting the recommendation for an antimicrobial resistance surveillance programme for meat and milk, one respondent considered that the resistance risk from greater use of intramammary antimicrobials was low because of pastuerisation and milk discard.

Centralised recordings

The Expert Panel and Steering Group were of the opinion that technology may allow for centralised recording of statistics and practices, and a disciplined survey of prescribing veterinarians in regard to prescribing practices was recommended.

It was pointed out that, even though there has been considerable investigation and research carried out on this subject, there is still limited understanding on quantifiable risks, in epidemiological terms, posed by antimicrobial use in animals.

Submissions further recommended that a technical group be established to help collate the information gathered from local and world research and New Zealand database and surveillance data, to identify the important risk pathways for an antimicrobial resistance threat to humans in order to support MedSafe and NZFSA regulatory decisions.

It was also suggested that New Zealand follow guidelines from international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) which promulgate safety with food and antimicrobial use. Regulatory decisions should be made on a product-specific basis rather than depend on generalities about antimicrobial families.

Response

Debbie Morris, Director of NZFSA’s Approvals and Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines, says: “The expert panel report and submissions received indicate that, while refinements could be made, the regulatory control in New Zealand is set at an appropriate level and consistent with international guidelines.

“The ACVM Group will continue to make decisions on a product basis, working with MedSafe to apply scientifically sound principles. We will prepare a response to the recommendations of the Antibiotic Resistance Steering Group and the Expert Panel report, focusing on what needs to be done to respond to the recommendations concerning ongoing surveillance.”

For more information

View NZFSA’s work to date on antibiotic resistance and in-feed use of antibiotics in New Zealand on the website: www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/ subject/antibiotic-resistance/index.htm.