EU: First report on EU-wide sales and use of antimicrobials in animals

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has published its first EU-wide report on the sales and use of antimicrobials in animals, covering data from 2023. The report includes information from all 27 EU countries, as well as Iceland and Norway. Antibiotics for food-producing animals made up 98% of veterinary antibiotic sales, with penicillins, tetracyclines, and sulfonamides being the most sold. About 65% of sales involved Category D antibiotics, recommended as first-line treatments, while 6% were Category B, which are critically important for human health. Data were collected for cattle, pigs, chickens, and turkeys, with veterinarians being the main data source in most countries. However, some countries are still developing their data systems, limiting detailed analysis for now. The initiative of the EMA supports efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance and promote responsible antibiotic use in animals.