The UAE is banning the veterinary use of ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic, from November 1 under a drive to curb drug resistance and boost patient safety.
Ciprofloxacin is commonly used to treat bacterial infections. It belongs to a class of bacteria-killing antibiotics called fluoroquinolones.
These have been classified as critically important antimicrobials (CIAs) for human medicine because of their role in treating conditions such as urinary tract infections, sepsis pneumonia and joint infections.
The drug is also prescribed for animals, including dogs and cats, suffering infections such as those affecting skin and the bladder.
National pharmaceutical regulator the Emirates Drug Establishment said ciprofloxacin would be prohibited in an effort to “preserve the effectiveness of treatments used in human medicine”.
The EDE said inappropriate use of the drug for animals could contribute to the development of bacterial resistance, hampering the efficacy of medicines and “posing a public health challenge”.
The move followed a scientific assessment of data related to antimicrobial resistance, including studies submitted by United Arab Emirates University.
Dr Ruqaya Aqeel Al Bastaki, acting executive director of the Medical Products Regulation Sector at the EDE, said such decisions take into account risks associated with individual products and their impact on treatment priorities.
She said the regulator would respond to concerns over antimicrobial resistance to safeguard public health.
How will ban be enforced?
The ban covers veterinary medicinal products and raw materials containing ciprofloxacin. It affects nine products: eight that are imported and one that is locally registered.
The EDE has told relevant establishments to stop manufacturing, importing and supplying the products, and to withdraw existing stocks from the local market before the ban takes effect. Remaining stocks should be re-exported or disposed of in accordance with approved procedures.
Establishments must submit documents confirming that the required measures have been completed. The EDE said it was preparing a plan to monitor compliance within the specified time frame.
What is antimicrobial resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance is when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites do not respond to medicines, making infections more difficult or impossible to treat and increasing the risk of the spread of disease.
It is estimated to have contributed to more than 4.7 million deaths globally in 2021, according to the most recent figures published by the World Health Organisation.
The WHO said the misuse and overuse of antimicrobial drugs was accelerating the development and spread of drug-resistant pathogens.
About one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections were resistant to antibiotics as of 2023, prompting the WHO to declare that the world was facing a “antimicrobial research and development crisis”, with few medicines in the pipeline to address the issue.