Table 2 Best practice statements on use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals

1

Any new class of antimicrobials or new antimicrobial combination developed for use in humans will be considered critically important for human medicine unless categorized otherwise by WHO.

2

Medically important antimicrobials that are not currently used in food production should not be used in the future in food production including in food-producing animals or plants.*

*Although these guidelines only pertain to use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals, the GDG concluded that this best practice statement ought to apply to all antimicrobial uses in food-producing animals and in plants. All such uses have the potential to select for antimicrobial resistance, which can be subsequently transferred to humans.