Availability and usage of new antibacterial drugs in Europe

The present-day availability and usage of established and new antibacterial drugs approved for clinical and therapeutic purposes in food-producing animals and poultry in the United States and Europe were compared. Presently, 42 such drugs are approved in Europe, 13 of which were approved since Dec 31, 1974. In the United States, 17 such drugs are currently approved, only four were approved since Dec 31, 1974. Most drug products approved in Europe contain two or more antibacterial agents, whereas most of the products approved in the United States are single drug entities. Drugs approved in Europe but not in the United States include sulfonamide and trimethoprim combinations, nafcillin, oxacillin, metampicillin, cephoxazole, cephalonium, cephacetrile, cephalexin, gentamicin, rifamycin SV, nifuroquine, tiamulin, chloramphenicol, colistin, and polymyxin B. Pharmacologic and clinical features of several of these drugs are briefly described.