United States: antimicrobials sold or distributed in 2013 for use in food-producing animals

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration published its annual report summarizing the sales and distribution data of antimicrobial drugs approved for use in food-producing animal.

This summary report presents the sales and distribution data for the 2013 calendar year for antimicrobial drugs approved for use in food - producing animals. This 2013 summary report also includes multiple years of domestic sales and distribution data of actively marketed antimicrobial drugs by medical importance, route of administration, and drug class, as well as observations on the changes in the sales and distributi on of the subject drugs for the period s 2009 through 2013 and 2012 through 2013.

Several observed trends include:

• Domestic sales and distribution of antimicr obials approved for use in food - producing animals increased by 17% f rom 2009 through 2013 , and in creased by 1% from 2012 through 2013 .
• Domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food - producing animals increased by 20% f rom 2009 through 2013, and increased by 3% from 2012 through 2013 .
• The percentage of domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food - producing animals that have an approved indication for production use decreased from 72% to 68% from 2009 through 2012, but then increased from 68 % to 72% fr om 2012 through 2013. This number does not represent sales attributable to products used solely for production indications because most of these products are also approved for therapeutic indications.
• The percentage of domestic sales and distribution of m edically important antimicrobials approved for use in food - producing animals that are sold over -the- counter (OTC) did not appreciably change from 2009 through 2013 , including from 2012 through 2013, remaining relatively steady at 98%.