16 Jun 2022
European Platform for the Responsible Using of Medicines in Animals critical of European Parliament’s environment, public health and food safety committee for its “rejection of science”.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
An 11th-hour decision by some European MPs to object to a list of antibiotics restricted for human use has been criticised.
The European Platform for the Responsible Using of Medicines in Animals (EPRUMA) argued objections from the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) are misguided and “highlight the disregard for EU scientific advice” by some MEPs on the committee.
In raising objections, some MEPs have been making the case for more antibiotics – such as colistin – to be preserved for human use than currently proposed on the list.
The list of medicines that would be reserved for human use was drafted as an act by the EU Commission based on scientific advice from the European Medicines Agency.
Although any legislation would no longer apply to the UK, the VMD may opt for a similar list. Some UK vets fear inclusion of amantadine – used as a feline chronic pain drug – on the list will hit supply here.
EPRUMA, whose partners include the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, AnimalhealthEurope and the UK’s RUMA (associate partner), said the ENVI objections threatened measures to tackle issues of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
In a statement, the body said: “Overlooking the fact that this act goes together with a stringent set of legal provisions to fight AMR in the new regulation on veterinary medicines, misinterpreting the WHO recommendations, and sticking to outdated beliefs about misuse of antibiotics in the animal sector, this objection once again highlights the disregard for EU scientific advice by a number of MEPs in the ENVI committee.
“It also brings to light serious concerns as to whether the objection is fully understood by supporting MEPs, as it is incomprehensible as to what scientific reasoning could support off-label use of human antimicrobials instead of the authorised veterinary products, which are developed especially for distinct animal species with the necessary controls for public health and food safety.”
The statement continued: “Calling to revise previously agreed decisions by the European Parliament will only serve to postpone measures on addressing AMR further.
“We also recall that massive efforts have been made by the animal sector over the last decade, which has seen a reduction of sales of antibiotics on the animal side of over 43% on average since 2011, with continued reductions in the use of high priority antimicrobials.
“EPRUMA remains committed to further promoting the responsible use of antibiotics, as part of the veterinarians’ toolbox, and to fighting antimicrobial resistance through a one health approach that looks to the equal protection of human, animal and environmental health.”
The EU Parliament is expected to debate and vote on the antimicrobial list at a plenary session on 23 June.
