AASP judicious use guidelines adopted

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The first in a series of species-specific guidelines for judicious therapeutic antimicrobial use were approved by the Executive Board during its Nov 19-21 meeting.

Swine judicious use guidelines developed and implemented by the American Association of Swine Practitioners were submitted to the AVMA Steering Committee on Judicious Therapeutic Antimicrobial Use, which agreed with them for AVMA use and requested that the board also take an affirmative position.

"We're pleased the AVMA has chosen to recognize species differences in the development of judicious use guidelines," Dr. Tom Burkgren, AASP executive director, said.

When developing the guidelines, the AASP used input from the AASP Pork Safety Committee and Pharmaceutical Issues Committee as well as several meetings with and considerable communication among swine practitioners. Dr. Burkgren said swine practitioners are basically "documenting what we are already doing."

During the November 1998 AVMA board meeting, general judicious use principles were approved. Collecting detailed guidelines developed by various species groups is the current project. Guidelines are in working stages for the American Association of Avian Pathologists, American Association of Feline Practitioners, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and American Animal Hospital Association.

The AASP will publish the full guidelines in its March 2000 issue of Swine Health and Production.