World leaders and experts call for reductions of antimicrobial drugs in global food systems

25 Aug 2021 --- The Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance is calling on all countries to significantly reduce the levels of antimicrobial drugs used in global food systems.

The move includes stopping the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs to promote growth in healthy animals and using antimicrobial drugs more sparingly.

“Using antimicrobial drugs more responsibly in food systems needs to be a top priority for all countries,” urges Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh and co-chair of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.

“Collective action across sectors is crucial to protect our most precious medicines, for the benefit of everyone, everywhere.”

The call comes ahead of the UN Food Systems Summit which will take place in New York, US, on September 23, where countries will discuss ways to transform global food systems.

A reduction of antimicrobial drugs is critical to offsetting rising levels of drug resistance.The Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance includes heads of state, government ministers, and leaders from private sector and civil society from 22 countries.

The group was established in November 2020 to accelerate global political momentum, leadership and action on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and is co-chaired by Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, and Hasina.

The race against antimicrobial resistance
A reduction in the amounts of antimicrobial drugs, including antibiotics, used in food systems is critical to combat rising levels of drug resistance.

The Global Leaders Group's statement calls for bold action from all countries and leaders across sectors to tackle drug resistance.

Investment is also urgently needed to develop effective alternatives to antimicrobial use in food production, such as vaccines and alternative drugs.

This urgent necessity has driven up demand for alternative solutions that help livestock avoid antibiotic resistance, such as Mileutis’ peptide-based solution Imilac.

Consumers in all countries can play a key role by choosing food products from producers that use antimicrobial drugs responsibly, notes Global Leaders Group on AMR.

“We cannot tackle rising levels of antimicrobial resistance without using antimicrobial drugs more sparingly across all sectors,” says Amor Mottley.

“The world is in a race against AMR, and it is one that we cannot afford to lose.”

Other key calls to action for all countries include:

• Ending the use of antimicrobial drugs that are of critical importance to human medicine to promote growth in animals.
• Limiting the amount of antimicrobial drugs administered to prevent infection in healthy animals and plants and ensuring that all use is performed with regulatory oversight.
• Eliminating or significantly reducing over-the-counter sales of antimicrobial drugs that are important for medical or veterinary purposes.
• Reducing the overall need for antimicrobial drugs by improving infection prevention and
• control, hygiene, biosecurity and vaccination programs in agriculture and aquaculture.
• Ensuring access to quality and affordable antimicrobials for animal and human health and promoting innovation of evidence based and sustainable alternatives to antimicrobials in food systems.

Consequences of inaction
Inaction will have dire consequences for human, animal, plant and environmental health, warns Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance.

Many of the antimicrobials used in food systems are the same or similar to those used to treat humans.Antimicrobial drugs- (including antibiotics, antifungals and antiparasitics)- are used in food production all over the world. 

Antimicrobial drugs are administered to animals not only for veterinary purposes (to treat and prevent disease), but also to promote growth in healthy animals.

Antimicrobial pesticides are also used in agriculture to treat and prevent diseases in plants.

Many of the antimicrobials used in food systems are the same as or similar to those used to treat humans.

Current usage in humans, animals and plants is fueling an alarming rise in drug-resistance and making infections harder to treat. Climate change may also be contributing to an increase in AMR.

Drug-resistant diseases already cause at least 700,000 human deaths globally every year.

While there have been substantial reductions in antibiotic use in animals globally, further reductions are needed.

“Without immediate and drastic action to significantly reduce levels of antimicrobial use in food systems, the world is rapidly heading towards a tipping point where the antimicrobials relied on to treat infections in humans, animals and plants will no longer be effective,” says Global Leader Group on AMR.

“The impact on local and global health systems, economies, food security and food systems will be devastating.”

By Benjamin Ferrer