WHO Recommends Ending Use of Antibiotics in Healthy Animals

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the availability of guidelines recommending against the routine use of antibiotics in healthy animals. WHO cited a meta-analysis funded by the agency and reported in The Lancet concluding that interventions restricting antibiotic use could be effective in reducing antibiotic resistance.

“Scientific evidence demonstrates that overuse of antibiotics in animals can contribute to the emergence of antibiotic resistance,” a WHO representative said. “The volume of antibiotics used in animals is continuing to increase worldwide, driven by a growing demand for foods of animal origin, often produced through intensive animal husbandry.”