Stakeholder position paper: the need for antimicrobial use data for risk assessment

Area of Science:

• Veterinary medicine
• Public health
• Environmental science

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animals poses risks to human health.
• Complex ecological pathways hinder direct measurement of AMR risks.
• Indirect assessment methods are employed due to these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate indirect risk assessment approaches for AMR.
• To examine the utility of antimicrobial use data in risk assessments.
• To identify benefits and applications of quantitative antimicrobial use data.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing risk assessment studies.
• Comparison of assessments conducted with and without antimicrobial use data.
• Analysis of ecological pathways for AMR transmission.

Main Results:

• Indirect methods have been developed to address assessment barriers.
• Antimicrobial use data can offer valuable insights for risk assessment.
• Quantitative data enhances the understanding of AMR risks.

Conclusions:

• Quantitative antimicrobial use data can significantly improve AMR risk assessments.
• Further integration of such data is recommended for public health protection.
• Risk assessment strategies need to account for complex environmental factors.