The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe must be puzzled that they can't get any figures from Britain: a rare country that claims to have no MRSA in pigs and admits the lowest production of pig meat per sow in Western Europe. Production figures here.
We imagine the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe will get asked about that in due course.
Full media release here
From the FEDERATION OF VETERINARIANS OF EUROPE
European Antibiotic Awareness Day 2012
Antibiotic resistance:
"Vets are part of the solution"
Bruxelles, 21 November 2012 -
Antibiotic resistance is a true 'One Health' issue, and veterinarians are part of the solution as gatekeepers of antimicrobial use in animals, said Dr Christophe Buhot, president of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE).
…When asked to comment on the resolution on antimicrobial resistance that had been recently adopted by the European Parliament's ENVI committee, and in particular on the suggestion 'to separate the right to prescribe from the right to sell antimicrobials in order to eradicate economic incentives to prescribe', Dr Buhot said: "Antimicrobial resistance is a complex issue for which there is no simple, one-sizefits-all solution such as 'decoupling' of prescription and dispensing, but which requires rigorous action from all players and at multiple levels. In the Netherlands, where there is no 'decoupling', veterinarians have greatly contributed to decrease the antibiotic consumption by over 50% over the past 3 years, and also in France a reduction of 30% is realised."
In other countries, such as Denmark, the compulsory monthly herd health visit by the veterinary practitioner had also contributed to a more responsible use. "We fully agree with the vision of the EU upcoming Animal Health Law that prevention is better than cure, and such a preventive herd health scheme would certainly help to ensure a more responsible use of antibiotics. Veterinarians are part of the solution to keep antibiotics effective."…
