Is Health Canada considering banning the use of antimicrobial growth promotants in food-producing animals?
The use of antimicrobial growth promotants (AGPs) in food-producing animals and the possible contribution to resistance in human pathogens is a subject of intense international debate within the scientific community and in the animal health industry. The Veterinary Drugs Directorate of Health Canada is responsible for the approval of veterinary antimicrobials in Canada and is supporting surveillance activities to evaluate possible public health impacts of the use of AGPs. Evidence from the surveillance data is currently being collected and analyzed and will be crucial in the development of new policies and approaches. Health Canada is aware that the use of four antimicrobials to promote growth (tylosin, spiramycin, bacitracin, and virginiamycin) in farm animal production has been banned in the European Union. These AGPs were banned for this purpose because of their structural similarity to antimicrobial drugs used in human medicine. Other countries, including Canada are reviewing avail
