1. Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture
John FitzGerald
RUMA Secretary General
Bionow, Redx and AstraZeneca
Anti-infectives Conference
26 November 2013
Cheshire

2. What is Responsible Use (1)
Using medicines as little as possible and as much as necessary
As little as possible
Reduce risk of disease challenge and need to use a medicine
Farm management, good ventilation, nutrition and hygiene, access to fresh water
Biosecurity to prevent introduction of disease
Farm health planning including
Vaccination programmes
Medicines must not be used as a substitute for good farm management

3. What is Responsible Use (2)
As much as necessary
Using antibiotics (and all other medicines) in the right way: the right medicine, at the right dose, at the right time and for the right duration
Diagnosis and prescription by vet
Purchased from authorised supplier (vet or pharmacist for antibiotics)
Follow label and vet instructions
Correct dose for weight of animal
Full course of treatment
Respect the Withdrawal Period

4. How Antibiotics are used on Farm
Curative Treatment - of a sick animal or group of animals following the diagnosis of infection and/or clinical disease
Control Treatment - of a group of animals after the diagnosis of infection and/or clinical disease in part of the group, with the aim of preventing the spread of infectious disease to animals in close contact
human medicine equivalent: where a child is diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis necessitating urgent treatment of all other in-contact children

5. How Antibiotics are used on Farm (2)
Preventive Treatment - of an animal or a group of animals, before clinical signs of infectious disease, in order to prevent the occurrence of disease or infection
must only be applied to animals diagnosed by vet at high risk of bacterial disease, and
must only occur under prescription by a veterinarian on the basis of epidemiological and clinical knowledge, and
must not be applied systematically or routinely, and
must not be used to compensate for poor hygiene or for inadequate husbandry conditions or where improvements in animal husbandry could reduce the need for antibiotic treatment. May be appropriate on a temporary basis, to prevent disease in animals while the vet and farmer make improvements to bio-security and animal husbandry on the farm to reduce the likelihood of subsequent batches of animals requiring treatment in this manner. 
Human medicines equivalent - where a patient is given antibiotics before surgery to address the increased bacterial challenge during and after the operation

6. RUMA
A unique initiative involving 23 organisations representing every stage of the "farm to fork" process including independent member with specific expertise including human medicine
Promote responsible use through Guidelines, commenting on current issues, press releases etc
Guidelines
Stress good management and health planning to minimise the need for medicine use by reducing the risk of disease challenge and then give advice on responsible use
Species specific, shorter versions for farmers, longer for vets
Cover antimicrobials, antiparasitics and vaccines in poultry, pigs, cattle sheep and fish
Free to download from website

7. Thank you for your attention
Contact details: John FitzGerald RUMA Secretary General ruma.org.uk