Report, Working Group

List of Antimicrobial Agents of Veterinary Importance

25/07/2024

World Organisation for Animal Health

Overview

In addition to the WOAH standards and resolutions, there are several other key guidance documents to support the responsible use of antimicrobials by WOAH Members:

  1. The WOAH List of Antimicrobial Agents of Veterinary Importance (the WOAH List)

The WOAH List provides overarching guidance and principles for responsible and prudent antimicrobial use in the animal health sector, including mitigation of the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for antimicrobials which are critically important to both animal and human health.

  1. Technical Reference Documents (TRDs)

The TRDs are extensions of the WOAH List, offering species-specific guidance on antimicrobial classes and agents authorised for use in animals to control, prevent and treat infectious bacterial diseases. Developed following the recommendations of the 2nd Global Conference on AMR in 2018, TRDs are currently available for the following:

Members can adapt guidance to their national contexts, including the option of off-label/extra-label use of antimicrobials, that may occur under specific clinical contexts to protect animal or public health, or where there are issues of access to veterinary products.

 

History and updates of the WOAH List

The WOAH List was initially adopted in 2007 (Resolution No. XXVIII at the 75th General Session) and was last updated in 2024 through Resolution No. 35 at the 91st General Session, where  the recommendations for specific Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials (colistin, 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and phosphonic acid derivatives) were updated, based on the latest version of the WHO List of Medically Important Antimicrobials.

Minor updates were subsequently made to align with WOAH’s TRDs (poultry, swine, bovine, aquatic animals and cats and dogs), which were developed with the support of and were endorsed by the Working Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. Key changes included the adoption of International Non-Proprietary Names (INN) and the reclassification of antimicrobial agents under specific subclasses, based on their chemical composition. In addition, three new classes of antimicrobials1 and several antimicrobial agents2 were also added to new and existing classes, based on the antimicrobials identified as authorised for use in the different animal species considered at the time of publication of the TRDs.

 

Intended uses of the WOAH List and the TRDs

  • To assess and to ensure availability of veterinary medicinal products (VMP) containing antimicrobial agents essential for treatment, prevention and control of common infectious bacterial diseases in animals considering the national context and should be used in combination with existing essential veterinary medicines lists;
  • To prioritise risk management strategies for minimising use of veterinary critically important antimicrobials to preserve their effectiveness;
  • To inform the development of regional or national guidelines for responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials in animals;
  • To inform the development of evidence-based regional or national sector-specific or multisectoral policies to support responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials;
  • To support the efforts to phase out the use of HPCIAs in first instance for non-veterinary medical purposes (e.g. growth promotion);
  • To inform the development and implementation of sector-specific and integrated AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) surveillance following a One Health approach;
  • To inform the development of research projects to address gaps in knowledge in AMR and AMU; and
  • To strengthen risk communication efforts and awareness campaigns targeting relevant stakeholders involved in animal health and One Health, including the general public.

 

Target Audience

The target audience for The WOAH List and the TRDs includes, but is not limited to:

  • National regulators, competent authorities and policymakers in ministries of agriculture or equivalent authorities responsible for regulating, monitoring and assuring responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials;
  • Epidemiologists, microbiologists and communication teams involved in the designing and implementation of surveillance programs for AMR and AMU and disseminating its findings to policy makers;
  • Veterinarians, veterinary paraprofessionals, aquatic animal professionals, and other approved prescribers of antimicrobials;
  • Academics and other professionals involved in the development of undergraduate and postgraduate training programs and continuous professional training programs for veterinary students, veterinarians and other animal health professionals.
  • National AMR steering or coordinating committees responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring National Action Plans (NAP); and
  • Animal owners, keepers and breeders, institutional food purchasers, agrifood businesses across the food chain.

 

Additional Relevant Documents

In addition to the WOAH Standards, the WOAH List and TRDs, Members should consider other relevant reference documents, such as:

See the document (pdf - 375 KB)