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# Antimicrobial Sales, Distribution Up Slightly
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/antimicrobial-sales-distribution-up-slightly/
- Published: 2017-01-03T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T21:57:34.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: FDA Policy/General, Drugs, #legacy-id-D5137600

An FDA annual report summarizing sales and distribution data for all antimicrobial drugs approved for use in food-producing animals shows that sales and distribution of all antimicrobials increased 1% from 2014 through 2015, tied for the lowest annual increase since 2009\. The [report](http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm534244.htm?source=govdelivery&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery) says that the percentage of the antimicrobials that are considered medically important in human medicine increased by 2% from 2014 through 2015.

The sales and distribution information does not necessarily represent actual use of the products, the agency says. Thus, drug products entering the market may not be distributed all the way to the farm, veterinarians and animal producers may purchase drugs in anticipation of using them but never actually administer them to animals, or they may administer them in later years. “FDA is working with federal, academic, and industry partners to obtain more information about how, when, and why animal producers and veterinarians use those classes of antimicrobial drugs that are important to human medicine,” FDA says.

FDA also issued an [update](http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm534549.htm?source=govdelivery&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fsource=govdelivery) on its implementation of Guidance 213 that sets the stage for the 1/1/17 implementation of all changes outlined in it. The update says the agency has issued three *Federal Register* documents reflecting changes made to new animal drug applications affected by the guidance. The changes include approval of changes to oral dosage form new animal drugs and new animal drugs for use in feeds, as well as the withdrawal of several new animal drug applications.

The agency says it asked that all sponsors affected by the guidance work with it to complete the necessary changes to bring affected products into alignment by 1/1/17\. The changes include removing growth promotion indications from the labels of their medically important antimicrobial products used in the feed or water of food-producing animals, and bringing the remaining therapeutic uses under veterinary oversight.