title: Deliberations of an Advisory Committee regarding priorities, sources, and methods for collecting animal antimicrobial use data in the United States.
abstract: This paper describes the methodological options for food animal antimicrobial use data collection in the United States, including data priorities, methods, and limitations that were identified by a diverse group of expert stakeholders. Four major categories of antimicrobial use data were identified based on the source of information and its proximity to actual use: end-user data, prescription data, manufacturing data, and distribution data. Criteria were developed to aid in evaluating the overall utility of each methodological option, and an attempt was made to develop a qualitative, composite "overall usefulness" score for each option. Concensus was not reached on option scores, therefore, the experts individually rated six methodological options relative to the evaluation criteria, and provided comments and rationale for each response. The responses serve as a microcosm of the issues and stakeholder perspective: most relevant to animal antimicrobial use data collection in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, 75 Kneeland Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA. sdvdvm@earthlink.net
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: DeVincent
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D019155:Veterinary Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019155:Veterinary Drugs