This January, the AVMA House of Delegates reached a unanimous decision to introduce and enact a policy on antimicrobial stewardship.
Antimicrobial stewardship refers to the actions veterinarians take individually and as a profession to preserve the effectiveness and availability of antimicrobial drugs through conscientious oversight and responsible medical decision-making while safeguarding animal, public, and environmental health.
According to an official description of the new policy, the following principles can be used to develop antimicrobial stewardship plans in any veterinary practice setting:
- Commit to stewardship
- Advocate for a system of care to prevent common diseases
- Select and use antimicrobial drugs judiciously
- Evaluate antimicrobial drug use practices
- Educate and build expertise
Using these principles, veterinarians are urged to take action.
For more details on the new policy, please click here.