Despite concerns expressed by health professionals (supported by human health and animal welfare organisations), on 19 April the European Commission proposed a draft list of antimicrobials to be reserved for human health that will not protect human health nor animal welfare.
19 health, animal welfare and environmental organisations are concerned about the absence of vital antimicrobials for human health on the list, some of which are last-resort treatments for human health. If this list is adopted in its current form, these priority substances will continue to be used in food production to sustain poor farming practices. We therefore call on the European Commission to review the list and consider the evidence-based advice from civil society organisations throughout this process. Only in this way can the list become a meaningful tool for preserving the efficacy of key antimicrobials and ultimately tackling AMR. We also ask that the European Commission sets a clear timetable for the periodical revision of the list.