RESPONSIBLE USE OF ANTIMICROBIALS IN VETERINARY-MEDICINE - PERSPECTIVES IN FRANCE

In France a survey of the use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine was set up in connection with the Committee for the Marketing Authori zation of Veterinary Medicinal Products. This survey has emphasized th e importance of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine and the reality of antibiotic resistance in both man and animals. Certain epidemiologi cal data tend to demonstrate that the use of antibiotics in animals in creases the risk of antibiotic resistance in man, through selection in animals of resistant pathogenic bacteria or of a non-pathogenic resis tant bacteria carrying resistance plasmids. Four proposals arc put for ward for the control of these different risks: reserve certain antibio tics (life-saving antibiotics) for human medicine, conform to a code o f good practices for antibiotic use in animals, strengthen and connect up existing networks for the epidemiosurveillance of antibiotic resis tance, provide for studies on the ecological impact of antibiotics in the registration dossiers for veterinary medicinal products. These evo lutive measures, based on scientific progress in microbiology, epidemi ology and clinical studies should respond satisfactorily to the expect ations of all concerned.