UK CVO helps launch BVA’s month-long focus on antimicrobial resistance

Over the next few weeks, experts from the fields of veterinary science, academia and government will be offering a comprehensive, sector-specific insight into key achievements, latest research and future action needed to tackle AMR through a number of blog posts published on www.bva.co.uk/blog. Bloggers will include BVA President John Fishwick, presidents of several BVA specialist divisions, leading academics, and heads of the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) and the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH), among others.

AMR poses a global threat to human and animal health and requires concerted efforts across the medical and veterinary professions to steward responsible use and prescription, as recognised in the UK Government-commission global Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, chaired by Lord O’Neill (May 2016).

The veterinary profession in the UK has been committed to the responsible use of antimicrobials, with the Chief Medical Officer publicly recognising the concerted efforts to reduce antibiotic usage in agriculture. BVA is a member of RUMA and has been working closely with stakeholders in government and industry to develop appropriate and evidence based targets across the livestock sector, which will be announced tomorrow (27 October) at a conference in London.

British Veterinary Association Senior Vice President Gudrun Ravetz said:

"AMR is a serious global One Health issue that the veterinary profession is deeply concerned about, as it threatens our ability to treat animals and protect human health, and it is an issue BVA is addressing through joined-up working with UK governments, industry and other health sectors. Increased collaboration between the health sectors, underpinned by a commitment from each of us within the veterinary profession to maintain the highest standards of stewardship in using antimicrobials, most especially Critically Important Antibiotics, is the only way we can preserve these essential medicines for future generations.

“The blog series highlights various aspects of AMR by experts in their field, and we hope that throwing a spotlight on various sectors’ achievements so far and suggested steps for the future will help keep this important issue on all of our agendas, where it should be.”

AMR discussions will continue at BVA Congress at the London Vet Show (16-17 November) with a Friday afternoon session on ‘The psychology of antimicrobial resistance: what can social science tell us?’, featuring David Brodbelt, Professor of Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine at Royal Veterinary College; Ian Donald, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Director, Mulberry Research & Consulting Ltd, and Kristen Reyher, Senior Lecturer in Farm Animal Science at the University of Bristol.  

To read Nigel Gibbens’s blog and other blogs from the series, see www.bva.co.uk/blog and follow the ‘#AMRinfocus’ hashtag on social media. The blog section will be updated frequently with new posts.