Responsible antimicrobial use, proper animal care and stakeholder collaboration are key components of the ‘One Health’ approach as all work to minimize the use of antibiotics in food animals and the sector’s contribution to the potential development of antimicrobial resistance. The third OIE report on the global use of antimicrobials is a significant contribution to ensure more accurate information is available so informed decisions can be made to advance evidence-based antimicrobial stewardship practices globally. Importantly, the use of antimicrobials in agricultural production should be a pre-competitive issue thus encouraging all stakeholders to share best health management practices that minimize antimicrobial use globally.
IPC and its members advocate for the responsible use and stewardship of all antimicrobials, the need to protect the health and welfare of our birds, to produce safe food, to safeguard the efficacy of antimicrobials, and to build trust with consumers. IPC and its members are actively engaged with intergovernmental organizations, governments and stakeholders to help shape public policy to address antimicrobial resistance. We are active in advancing the ‘One Health’ approach leading to healthy people, healthy animals and a healthy planet.
Consumers are seeking healthy, nutritious and sustainable food supplies and poultry meat undoubtedly meets these criteria globally. Consumers seek transparency and accurate information regarding production practices to make informed food purchasing decisions and IPC and its members work each day to meet this desire.
IPC recognizes the ethical obligation of farmers and their veterinarians to protect the health and welfare of the birds in their care, which may include the responsible use of antimicrobials. Yet, IPC accepts that the poultry sector needs to adopt management practices, and provide education regarding such practices, that reduce the use of those antimicrobials for which resistance could pose the greatest global risk. Specifically, IPC supports that those antimicrobials critically important for human medicine should be used for therapeutic purposes only and under a supervising veterinarian’s diagnosis and oversight.
The third OIE report on antimicrobial use data, from those countries voluntarily submitting their data, is an example of sound collaborative actions that help advance ‘One Health’ efforts globally. Collaborative pre-competitive efforts are the best way to deliver safe and nutritious food to all from healthy animals.
