Grant McCullough, NZVA President

from VetScript October 2020

Animal welfare and ethics update

Progress on the AMR issue

NZVA President Grant McCullough reports on progress in reducing the use of antimicrobial drugs in the veterinary profession.

IN THE PAST decade the use of antimicrobial drugs has continued to rise around the world, and the threat of widespread antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been increasingly highlighted in critical reports, including one by economist Jim O’Neill, who forecasts more than 10 million deaths and more than $100 trillion global cost by 2050 if we all continue on the same trajectory.

Internationally there’s been an intense focus on ensuring the prudent use of antimicrobials. Unsurprisingly, this has generated some concern that the privilege of having access to a wide variety of antimicrobials could be altered or restricted.

In June 2015 the NZVA took a leadership position and issued a statement that “by 2030, New Zealand Inc will not need antibiotics for the maintenance of animal health and wellness”. When we issued it, New Zealand as a country was the world’s third-lowest user of antimicrobials in animals (Hillerton et al., 2017).

We believe our 2015 statement has helped create a change in the way veterinarians use antimicrobials. The NZVA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Committee (AMRC) has noted that antimicrobial use stopped rising annually after that, and currently unpublished data indicates its use has been relatively flat for the past four years.

The NZVA, via the AMRC, has been active on the issue, and there have been other developments too: » We’ve worked with a range of organisations (the

Ministry of Health, the Ministry for Primary

Industries [MPI], industry, levy groups and NZVA special interest branches) to reduce antimicrobial use in animals. This is helping, but it’s not an easy process. » We’ve created a traffic-light classification system for antimicrobials (available from www.nzva. org.nz/general/custom.asp?page=amr) and also recently made some adjustments to clarify its message. As is the case for all other antimicrobials, the use of red light antimicrobials should be carefully considered and justified. This may mean they’re still a veterinarian’s first choice, which is in some instances appropriate. » We’re seeing positive behaviour changes in the dairy cow industry, with veterinarians and farmers moving away from a blanket use of dry-cow antimicrobial therapy towards a more targeted use, and a wider use of teat-sealant products (see www.

nzva.org.nz/resource/resmgr/docs/policies_

and_guidelines/guide_dairy.pdf). » We’re working with appropriate groups in the poultry industry to help decrease the metaphylactic use of antimicrobials, particularly zinc bacitracin. » The wider industry now has a greater focus on research and development geared towards preventive products and vaccines. » MPI’s Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary

Medicines group has included a ‘no advertising to end users’ condition on all antimicrobials. » We’re actively communicating with the public on antimicrobial use in animals, in line with our AMRC strategy. As part of this, we publicly promote World

Antibiotic Awareness Week every year. » We’ve developed educational material for the public (see www.nzva.org.nz/page/ amrresource) to help veterinarians’ clients understand the problems of over-using antimicrobials in animals. The NZVA’s aspirational goal for 2030 is not geared towards zero use of antimicrobial drugs. We acknowledge that we can reduce use, but equally we want to develop a sustainable position where our ability to use appropriate antibiotics for treatment is not curtailed by either resistance or regulation.

We ask all practising veterinarians to help us reduce the use of antimicrobials. Reduced use will benefit us all.