Sales of antibiotics for production animals halved in Europe over ten years

The decline in the total sales of antibiotics for production animals in Europe continues according to the recent ESVAC report of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The report covers data from 2010 to 2022, and the sales figures in it are proportioned according to the number of production animals. The aggregated total sales of the 25 countries that have been included since the very beginning have halved (-53%). Sales of critically important antibiotics were also significantly lower. Differences between individual countries remain considerable. 

Finland is one of the countries in which the total sales figures for antibiotics for production animals are moderate and under control. When proportioned according to the number of production animals, the sales of antibiotics declined in Finland by thirteen percent in 2022 compared to the previous year and were the lowest ever measured since the commencement of the monitoring. In Finland, three fourths of the antibiotics for production animals were meant for individual medication, whereas in Europe (86%), most antibiotics are administered through feed or drinking water to groups of animals. 

Another indication of Finland's moderate use of antibiotics on animals is that the bacteria isolated from the animals are mostly susceptible to first-line antibiotics. The susceptibility situation for certain pathogens has nevertheless weakened. Detailed information on the degree of resistance in bacteria from animals and the sale of antibiotics in Finland is available in the recent FINRES-Vet 2022 report. 

Read more:

ESVAC 13th report (EMA)
Country reports on sales trends 2010-2022 (EMA) 
ESVAC-2022 results in brief on Fimea’s website
FINRES-Vet 2022 reports (Finnish Food Authority)

For more information, please contact:

Fimea: Katariina Kivilahti-Mäntylä, Veterinary Officer, tel. +358 29 522 3354
Finnish Food Authority: Suvi Nykäsenoja, Senior Researcher, tel. +358 29 520 4775