The Maltese people are among those most likely to believe antibiotics should be used to treat sick farm animals, despite EU regulations and reports of misuse, a new European survey shows.
A study on antimicrobial resistance published by the European Commission this week found that nearly three-quarters of the Maltese people thought antibiotics should be used on animals meant for human consumption. In fact, they were the most likely, 35 per cent, to “strongly” feel that this should be done.
The EU voted in 2011 to ban the use of antibiotics for treating livestock unless under strict conditions. Alarmed at signs that the overuse of antibiotics was impacting their use for humans, the EU cited several studies that had found antibiotics present in dairy and other farm animal products were being passed on to consumers.
According to the World Health Organisation, the use of antibiotics in farms can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are a threat to human and animal health. The WHO also says antibiotic resistance – when bacteria change so antibiotics no longer work on people who need them – is now a major threat to public health.
The Times of Malta reported last year that antibiotics being used to treat cattle were easily being bought without a prescription and given to farm animals without veterinary oversight. Many were even available from pet shops.
Engemycin was found to be used extensively by local farmers as a broad-spectrum antibiotic for dairy and beef cattle, horses, pigs and sheep. It was acquired without difficulty by this newspaper from two different outlets on the premise that it was needed for a sick cow although it should not be distributed without a special prescription.
The European Commission study found that, although many Maltese agreed with allowing antibiotics to be used, they were among the least informed about the EU’s policies on giving the medication to farm animals. More than 70 per cent of Maltese respondents had no idea antibiotics were banned from use on livestock unless under strict conditions.
This mean the Maltese were the third least informed in Europe in this regard.
Three months ago, this newspaper reported that the use of antibiotics on farms was still rife despite increasing concerns about the dangers to human health.
Maurice O’Scanaill, the Malta Veterinary Association’s secretary, warned that nothing had changed and absolutely no enforcement on the sale of antibiotics from pet shops and wholesalers existed.
“We are burying our heads to avoid the problem. Untrained people are administering antibiotics to farm animals without any veterinary oversight. The WHO is very concerned about antibiotic resistance, yet nothing is being done,” he said.
The situation, he noted, presented a huge public health problem because antibiotics should only be used on animals sparingly.
“Unfortunately, some of the most advanced antibiotics are ready available for sale. The abuse of such antibiotics risks making them redundant,” he warned.
The Times of Malta reported yesterday that Malta posted the EU’s sharpest drop in unnecessary antibiotic use but the Maltese were still the most likely to be taking them even when they did not need to.
Nearly half of Maltese were still using antibiotics to treat symptoms and ailments pills could not cure. They were also found to still be using antibiotics for sore throats, the flu and even headaches last spring.