AMR crisis: Centre asks states to monitor antibiotic use in animals

Joint working group with CDSCO, state regulators and animal husbandry dept to develop framework for monitoring veterinary antibiotic use amid rising AMR threat

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has asked all state drug controllers to extend support for developing a reporting framework, in order to monitor use of antibiotics in animals. The initiative is expected to tackle the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which could claim an estimated 2 million human lives in India by 2050.

 

AMR is a condition when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to antimicrobial medicines used to treat humans and animals.

 

In a first, a joint working group will be formed comprising representatives from the CDSCO, state licensing authorities and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy to facilitate the implementation of an antimicrobial use (AMU) reporting framework. 

 

 

This framework will focus on systemic collection of data on sale, manufacture, and import of antibiotics for veterinary use, officials said.

 

Last October, the Centre had come come out with guidelines on standard veterinary treatment for livestock and poultry, with a strong focus on minimising the use of antibiotics to prevent AMR in animals, just like in humans.

 

The guidelines, which were aimed at providing symptomatic treatment for all animal diseases till the disease is laboratory-confirmed, ensure that due care has been exercised for minimal to no use of antibiotics.

 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 10 million deaths are projected to occur globally by 2050 due to AMR, with India’s share at around 2 million. In 2019 (the latest data on this subject), AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths globally, while 4.95 million deaths were associated with drug-resistant infections.  

 

The WHO states that AMR’s emergence and spread is accelerated by human activity, mainly the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials to treat, prevent or control infections in humans, animals and plants.

 

Consumption of vegetable, poultry, and dairy containing antibiotic residues (which can enter the human blood stream)  results in further aggravating the exposure.  

 

A recent study published in Lancet Planetary Health journal stated that there are bidirectional associations between antibiotic consumption and AMR rates in humans and animals. That is, antibiotic use in animals can cause AMR in humans and vice versa. 

 

Another study published in 2015 had estimated that nearly two-thirds of global antibiotic sales are used in animal agriculture. This consumption could rise by another 67 per cent by 2030 due to increase in consumer demand for livestock products in low and middle income countries.

 

In his letter to the drug controllers, Rajiv Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), called for coordinated action on AMU, specifically in the veterinary sector.

 

Also, state regulators have been told to provide a comprehensive list of pharmaceutical companies involved in manufacturing, distribution and sale of veterinary antibiotics within their respective jurisdictions. 

 

In a separate letter, dated June 5, the DCGI asked all zonal and subzonal offices of the CDSCO to share a list of approved drugs including antibiotics, fixed drug combinations (FDCs) and their premixes for veterinary use. 

 

The central drug regulator had only last month come out with a draft guidance document for the safe disposal of unused or expired drugs, aimed at preventing AMR and other public health risks.

 

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, antibiotics are included in the list of drugs specified under Schedule H, which can be sold only on the prescription of a registered medical professional.