title: Variations in the sales and sales patterns of veterinary antimicrobial agents in 25 European countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe sales and sales patterns of veterinary antimicrobial agents in 25 European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries for 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on the sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents from 25 EU member states and EEA countries for 2011 were collected at package level (name, formulation, strength, pack size, number of packages sold) according to a standardized protocol and template and presented in a harmonized manner. These data were calculated to express amounts sold, in metric tonnes, of active ingredient of each package. A population correction unit (PCU) was applied as a proxy for the animal biomass potentially treated with antimicrobial agents. The indicator used to express sales was milligrams of active substance per PCU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Substantial variations in the sales patterns and in the magnitude of sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents, expressed as mg/PCU, between the countries were observed. The proportion of sales, in mg/PCU, of products applicable for treatment of groups or herds of animals (premixes, oral powders and oral solution) varied considerably between the countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some countries reported much lower sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents than others, when expressed as mg/PCU. Sales patterns varied between countries, particularly with respect to pharmaceutical forms. Further studies are needed to understand the factors that explain the observed differences.
authors.affiliation: European Medicines Agency, 7 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London E14 4HB, UK kari.grave@ema.europa.eu.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grave
authors.affiliation: European Medicines Agency, 7 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London E14 4HB, UK.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torren-Edo
authors.affiliation: European Medicines Agency, 7 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London E14 4HB, UK.
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, Strama VL, Statens Veterinärmedicinska Anstalt, SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greko
authors.affiliation: Sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail, 8 rue Claude Bourgelat, Parc d'activité de la Grande Marche, CS 70611, Javené, F-35306 Fougères cedex, France.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moulin
authors.affiliation: European Medicines Agency, 7 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London E14 4HB, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mackay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003132:Commerce / Q000191:economics*; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D019155:Veterinary Drugs / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D019155:Veterinary Drugs
keywords: animal population; antimicrobial resistance; critically important antimicrobials; food safety; risk assessment; selection pressure