FDA’s new 5-year plan for antimicrobial stewardship in animals is released

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The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has released its goals for supporting veterinary antimicrobial stewardship in fiscal years 2024 to 2028. The new set of goals builds upon progress made with plans for fiscal years 2019 to 2023 and advances key activities that were initiated during the past 5 years, according to the agency.¹

The FDA has approved antibiotic use in animals to manage illness, disease control, and to prevent infection.² The CVM’s dedication to antimicrobial stewardship in animals is an effort to slow development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and help to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapies.³

The new stewardship 5-year plan, which will be enacted October 1, 2023, aims to provide transparent guidance to stakeholders for actions that correspond to the FDA’s 3 main veterinary stewardship goals of aligning antimicrobial drug product use with the principles of antimicrobial stewardship, fostering stewardship of antimicrobials in veterinary settings, and enhancing the monitoring of AMR and antimicrobial drug use in animals. Objects for each of these goals are as follows³:

Align antimicrobial drug product use with the principles of antimicrobial stewardship

• Revise, as necessary the use the use conditions for approved medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals.
• Develop and implement a strategy for promoting antimicrobial stewardship in companion animals.
• Enhance processes to support new product development.

Foster stewardship of antimicrobials in veterinary settings

1. Support outreach and education by providing information on antimicrobial stewardship.
2. Strengthen CVM compliance program activities to support antimicrobial stewardship.
3. Support international outreach and collaboration to foster antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings.

Enhance the monitoring of AMR and antimicrobial drug use in animals

1. Collect and analyze data on antimicrobial drug use in animals.
2. Enhance the collection and analysis of AMR data.
3. Increase data sharing and reporting to aid in the monitoring of antimicrobial drug use practices and resistance.

Food-producing animals can carry Salmonella, Campylobacter and other bacteria that can infect humans and make them ill. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria can be present in meat and poultry. Animals can also spread bacteria to fruits and vegetables through fecal matter that enters irrigation systems or fertilizers.²

The CVM first published a multi-phase action plan for antimicrobial stewardship in 2018. Phase 1 and Phase 2 were carried out under the goals for 2019 to 2023.² The new 5-year plan begins in Phase 3 and is organized under the same overarching goals and objectives from the previous plan.¹

Officials with the FDA plan to complete the actions outlined in Phase 3 by the end of fiscal year 2026 and aim to begin Phase 4 in fiscal year 2027. The FDA’s programming has some of actions embedded for areas that include education, outreach, international harmonization, compliance activities, and others.^1,3

The FDA plans to solicit public feedback on certain key initiatives as the agency develops and implements strategies that address individual actions in the plan. The FDA’s accomplishments and progress can be viewed on the FDA’s website.¹

References

1. FDA releases plan for supporting antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings for FY 2024-2028. News release. September 27, 2023. Accessed September 28, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-releases-plan-supporting-antimicrobial-stewardship-veterinary-settings-fy-2024-2028?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
2. Antimicrobial resistance. CDC, National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System for Enteric Bacteria. July 20, 2022. Accessed September 28, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/narms/faq.html
3. Supporting antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings: Goals for fiscal years 2024-2028: key phase 2 and phase 4 actions. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. September 2023. Accessed September 27, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/media/172347/download?attachment