The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the 2014 Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals, reflecting the sales of antimicrobials approved for food-producing animals from 2009 through 2014 and from 2013 through 2014.
The report noted increases in the sales of both medically important and not currently medically important (NCMI) antimicrobials from 2009 through 2014, with the majority of antimicrobials sold or distributed being tetracyclines and ionophores. Highlighted points from the report include the following statistics:
- Domestic sales and distribution of antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals increased by 22 percent from 2009 through 2014 and increased by 4 percent from 2013 through 2014.
- Tetracyclines accounted for 43 percent of total domestic sales and distribution of antimicrobials, and ionophores accounted for 31 percent
- In 2014, 80 percent of the domestically sold and distributed NCMI antimicrobials were ionophores (NCMI antimicrobials accounted for 38 percent for total domestic sales and distribution of antimicrobials)
The report pointed out that many of the drug applications listed in the report are approved for use in multiple species, for multiple indications, and for multiple dosage regimens and routes of administration. The FDA additionally noted that the data represented a summary of the volumes of product sold or distributed with intention for sale to the final user, but that it does not directly reflect the volume of product that was ultimately bought or administered to animals by the final user.
The FDA summary report is available here.
