Reducing the Need for Antibiotics Calls for New Tools, Cross-Sector Collaboration

By Martha Scott Poindexter, CEO of the Animal Health Institute

Addressing the threat of antibiotic resistance is widely recognized as a shared responsibility among all sectors that rely on these live-saving medications. “…the responsibility of curbing [antimicrobial resistance] does not fall on any one organization or country alone. It is a collective duty that requires the cooperation of governments, industry, stakeholders, researchers, and the public,” said Thanawat Tiensin, FAO Director of Animal Health and Production Division.

The animal health industry is doing its part, and our efforts are yielding results. According to HealthforAnimals, as stewardship of antibiotics has increased, the need for antibiotics has declined.

I recently participated in a panel at the Animal Health, Nutrition and Technology Innovation Conference (AHNTI) where we explored new strategies and alternatives in this effort. Specifically, prevention of disease is the foundation of responsible use and action against antibiotic resistance. Advancements in new products like diagnostics and vaccines are providing veterinarians important new tools for the detection and prevention of disease. Using diagnostics to identify the microbial pathogen and its profile allows veterinarians to intervene earlier to stop a disease, reducing the need for antimicrobials.

The results show up in the numbers: data from the world’s largest animal health companies shows how declines in antimicrobial sales are mirrored by increases in vaccine sales. In the U.S., sales of medically important antibiotics dropped 27% between 2015 and 2024. According to the U.K.’s Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance and Sales Surveillance data for 2024, sales of veterinary antibiotics for use in food-producing animals have decreased 57% since 2014. Sales of critically important antimicrobials for food-producing animals is 84% lower than 2014. Across the wider E.U., usage decreased by 53% between 2011 and 2022, with reductions of up to 68% in major markets such as Germany. According to the most recent data from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), antibiotic use in veterinary care declined 20% between 2016 and 2019.

Although the animal health sector has already made enormous contributions toward slowing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by reducing the need for antibiotics, action in animal health alone is not enough to neutralize the threat to human health. Studies have found that the majority of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are transferred through person-to-person contact, particularly in healthcare settings.

Antibiotics are a cornerstone of modern medicine. However, misuse and overuse can lead to resistant bacterial infections where antibiotics no longer work. Addressing this challenge spans human, environmental, and animal health, and it requires action in all domains.