Antibiotic Awareness Week November 18-24

November 18, 2023 — Abbey Canon

AASV is pleased to participate in World Antibiotic Awareness Week November 18-24, 2023. World Antibiotic Awareness Week is a global initiative to raise awareness of the health risks of anti-biotic resistance to humans, animals, and the environment and to encourage best practices among healthcare providers, policy makers, and the public to limit the emergence or spread of resistant bacteria. Slowing the development of resistance and preserving safe and effective antimicrobials for use in animals and humans are priorities for swine veterinarians.

Part of AASV's mission is to increase the knowledge of swine veterinarians and promote the health and well-being of the pigs we care for.

In 2019, the AASV made a commitment to the Antimicrobial Resistance Challenge, a yearlong international effort to accelerate the fight against antimicrobial resistance. At that time, AASV pledged to continue providing swine veterinarians the resources, information, and knowledge they need to use antimicrobials judiciously and promote stewardship among producers, which includes veterinary oversight, use data collection, and disease prevention. Read more about AASV's 2019 commitment at CDC's AMR Challenge.

In 1999, the AASV, an early leader in developing guidelines for the judicious use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine, published the first Basic Guidelines of Judicious Therapeutic Use of Antimicrobials in Swine. Those guidelines, just updated in August 2023, can be found at aasv.org/documents/JUG. In 2022, the AASV reminded members of extralabel drug use in swine by sharing the ELDU algorithm and flyer.

The AASV continues to work with other pork organizations to actively engage, build relationships, and discuss antimicrobial use with government agencies (FDA, CDC, and USDA), allied veterinary organizations (AVMA, AAAP, and AABP) and other stakeholders to address issues related to antimicrobial use in swine.

We continue to strive for a science-based approach to antimicrobial issues. Additionally, the AASV Pharmaceutical Issues, Pork Safety, and Human Health and Safety Committees continuously address issues with antimicrobial use.

For example, the AASV Pharmaceutical Issues Committee closely monitors and guides AASV's response to proposed policies and activities that may affect swine health or veterinary practice through the use or availability of antimicrobials. With input from the Pharmaceutical Issues Committee, the AASV responded to FDA-1998-D-0038 "GFI 152 Evaluating the Safety of Antimicrobial New Animal Drugs with Regard to Their Microbiological Effects on Bacteria of Human Health Concern" to outline concerns and seek clarification. The AASV is currently drafting comments in response to FDA-2023-D-2925 "Defining Durations of Use for Approved Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs Fed to Food-Producing Animals; Draft Guidance for Industry; Availability" to reiterate comments submitted to a previous draft.

Join the AASV in promoting Antibiotic Awareness Week and engage your practice and clients by

• sharing stories and activities you do as a veterinarian to promote stewardship;
• following and reposting social media messages from the AASV, the National Pork Board, and the National Pork Producers Council;
• tagging social media posts with #USAAW23 #WAAW23 #BeAntibioticsAware;
• including articles about antibiotic use and resistance in your newsletters;
• holding dialogues about antimicrobial use and resistance with other stakeholders; and
• joining an AASV committee.

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Abbey Canon is the AASV Director of Public Health and Communications