Veterinary foresight and expertise in antimicrobial discussions
The AVMA should be at the forefront of discussions about antimicrobial drugs in animals. Veterinarians are the professionals responsible for medical decision-making, antimicrobial stewardship, and conscientious oversight of antimicrobial use in animals. Therefore, the AVMA must:
- Proactively engage stakeholders and aggressively pursue opportunities to participate in and, where appropriate, lead those discussions.
- Make certain that an evidence-based approach is used for decision-making.
- Ensure that risks and benefits to both humans and animals are given due consideration.
- Incorporate members' expertise to effectively advocate for the veterinary profession, the animals in its care, and the public whose health veterinarians safeguard.
Related policy
- Judicious therapeutic use of antimicrobials in aquatic animal medicine
- Approval and availability of antimicrobials for use in food-producing animals
- Judicious therapeutic use of antimicrobials
- Extralabel use of medicated feeds, including veterinary feed directive drugs, for minor species
- National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS)
AVMA-endorsed policy
- AAAP guidelines for judicious therapeutic use of antimicrobials in poultry
- AABP judicious therapeutic use of antimicrobials in cattle
- AAFP/AAHA antimicrobial stewardship guidelines
- American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) judicious use of antimicrobials guidelines
- American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners’ (AASRP) stewardship guidelines
- AASV basic guidelines of judicious therapeutic use of antimicrobials in swine