The VMD is the UK animal health policy lead on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is one of the leading global public health threats and World AMR Awareness Week (18-24 November) is marked every year to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance. Some of the work the VMD has been doing in the lead up to and during WAAW includes:

VMD AMR Research Symposium

VMD held an AMR Research Symposium on 14 November. The symposium highlighted a selection of VMD-commissioned research uncovering new insights into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic use (AMU) in animals. There were six presentations on different areas within AMR/AMU, and two Q&A sessions. Presentations included: ‘Antibiotic use in Equine Practice’ from Dr Sarah Allen, RVC, and research into the association between antimicrobial use and AMR in UK pigs and poultry. There were attendees from varying organisations from government, academia, and vet groups. You can watch a recording of the presentations on our YouTube Channel now.

UK-Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance Sales and Surveillance Report 2023 (UK-VARSS 2023)

This year’s UK-Veterinary Antibiotic Resistance Sales and Surveillance Report 2023 was published on Tuesday 19 November. In 2023, UK sales of all veterinary antibiotics in food-producing animals remained the same at 25.7mg/kg, maintaining the 59% reduction achieved in 2022 and multi-drug resistance in E. coli in the UK’s pig and poultry is at an all time low in the 10 years of the AMR Harmonised Monitoring Programme.

RUMA Agriculture and VMD joint webinar on the new Targets Taskforce 2 Update & UK-VARSS 2023 Reports

VMD and RUMA Alliance held a joint webinar on Wednesday 20 November chaired by James Russell, Assistant Clinical Professor in farm animal medicine at Nottingham University, where Kitty Healey, VMD’s Head of Surveillance and AMR, presented results from the UK-VARSS 2023 Report and RUMA’s Chair, Cat McLaughlin, presented the new Targets Taskforce 2 – 4 Years on Update Report. Stakeholders across government and industry attended.

VMD Social Media Campaign World AMR Awareness Week

World AMR Awareness Week took place on 18-24 November 2024. This has been a big year for AMR and VMD’s social media campaign focused on how VMD has supported the heightened global ambition for action on AMR. This includes the UNGA High Level Meeting on AMR which took place in September, the launch of the UK’s new National Action Plan on AMR, and VMD’s international activity on AMR. Find out more across our channels: X, LinkedIn, Facebook and the VMD blog.