France sets new regulations for the use of critical antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine

The French Ministry of Agriculture reported the entry into force, from April 2016,  of new regulations governing the use of critical antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine.

The Decree on the new measures, published on Friday, March 18, reaffirms the role of diagnosis to limit the risk of inappropriate use of antibiotics and development of resistance.

These new measures include:

• ban on the prophylactic use of about 50 critical antibiotics, i.e., their use in animals not infected by a bacterial pathogen;
• conducting tests to ensure that no other type of antibiotic can be used before prescribing a critical antibiotic in Veterinary Medicine.