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<p>The UK Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals,
while safeguarding animal welfare. It has been our position for many years that we
do not support the routine or predictable use of antibiotics, including where antibiotics
are used to compensate for inadequate farming practices. This applies to all types
of antibiotic use (i.e those prescribed for treatment, metaphylactic purposes and
for prophylactic purposes) because any antibiotic use may lead to an increased risk
of resistance.</p><p> </p><p>The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 are currently
under review and the UK Government’s proposed new legal restrictions will prohibit
antibiotic prophylaxis, in all but exceptional circumstances, in order to reduce unnecessary
antibiotic use while also protecting animal welfare, and allowing changes to prescribing
practices to be made sustainably. A public consultation on the proposed changes was
held earlier this year, feedback is currently being analysed and considered, and a
government response will be published in due course.</p><p> </p><p>Highest Priority
Critically Important Antibiotics for human use (which include fluoroquinolones) should
only be used in animals as a last resort when no other antibiotics could be clinically
effective and, wherever possible, based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing.</p><p>
</p><p>The Veterinary Medicines Directorate works closely with the British Poultry
Council (BPC), an industry group which represents 90% of the meat poultry sector in
the UK, on its antimicrobial stewardship efforts to replace, reduce and refine antibiotic
use, by supporting good animal husbandry, hygiene and stockmanship. The BPC has a
requirement that fluoroquinolones are only used as a last resort after alternative
options have been explored. These actions have led to a 96% reduction in fluroquinolone
use in meat poultry between 2014 and 2021, with fluoroquinolones representing just
0.3% of total antibiotic use in 2021.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, when considering
laying hens, antibiotic use data collected by the British Egg Industry Council, and
representing 90% of the industry, has demonstrated no fluoroquinolone use since 2017.</p>
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