The potential impact that importedf food could have on food bournedisease and antibiotic resisitance should be assesed, says the National Officeof Animal Health in its new, detailed response to the ACMSF report.Consideration needs to be given on how to

30March 2000

ACMSF Antibiotic Resistance Report: NOAH welcomes Government response

The National Office of AnimalHealth has welcomed the Governments response and recommendations following thereport by the Advisory Committee on the Microbial Safety of Food (ACMSF) onantibiotic resistance and food safety.

The response, published by MAFF andthe Department of Health, recognises the extensive efforts already underway toaddress the important issue of antimicrobial resistance, on a UK and globalscale, during the two or so years that the ACMSF report was in preparation. Italso sets out further work that will be done.

NOAH welcomed the ACMSF report,published last August, recognising the thoughtful and well argued approachadopted within it, especially its view that evolution not revolution wasneeded. However, despite searching international literature for its background,it tended to concentrate on a UK solution.This would be ineffective, said NOAH, because of the increase inglobalisation of food supplies and human travel.

The Governments responserecognises the need for a global outlook; it also acknowledges that the UK isfully aware of its own responsibilities. The response cites the formation andgrowth of the RUMA Alliance and the publication of industry guidelines onfluoroquinolone use as two examples of moves to ensure the responsible use ofantimicrobials in animals in the UK.Further, the government highlights the efforts being made and financedby the pharmaceutical industry into resistance surveillance and monitoringlivestock across the EU.

These moves are all part ofworldwide initiatives: global principles for the prudent use of antibioticshave been developed by the world veterinary, farming and animal health industrybodies. These have been echoed on aEuropean level by the European veterinary association and the European animalhealth federation FEDESA.

NOAH looks forward to working withits partners in the UK food chain, and with the Government, to continue topromote the responsible use of antibiotics in farm animals, said Dr JohnWalters, chairman of NOAHs Antibiotic Working Group. So long as we can keep the issues on a technical/scientificfooting, we can make great strides without compromising animal or human health.

Ends

Notes for Editors

1. For further informationcontact Roger Cook or Alison Glennon on 020 8367 3131, e-mail noah@noah.co.ukor visit the NOAH website www.noah.co.uk

2. TheNational Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent theUK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animalhealth products. The association has 36 corporate members and 11 associatemembers. In 1999 NOAH's members accounted for around 95% of the 371 million UKanimal health market, with additional valuable exports.

3. TheReport of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of FoodMicrobial Antibiotic Resistance in Relation to Food Safety was published inAugust 1999. The Recommendations and Government Response was published on 24March 2000.

4. WVA(representing veterinarians), FIPA/IFAP (representing farmers) and COMISA(representing the animal health industry) have produced Prudent Use ofAntibiotics: Global Basic Principles. FVE (Federation of Veterinarians of Europe)have produced Antibiotic Resistance and Prudent Use of Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine.

5. NOAHhas produced its own response to the ACMSF report, which is available onrequest, or on the NOAH web site www.noah.co.uk