In a significant move to safeguard public health and align with international food safety standards, the Government of India has banned 37 antimicrobial drugs for use in livestock. This comprehensive prohibition, announced by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, includes 18 antibiotics, 18 antivirals, and one anti-protozoan.
The ban specifically targets their use in egg-laying birds, milch animals, honeybees, and various livestock such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, and pigs, particularly where intestines are harvested or animal casings processed. Critically, the directive also outlaws the use of any antimicrobial medicinal product for promoting growth or increasing yield in animals.
Enacted under the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963, these new measures amend an earlier order from 2020. They explicitly prohibit antimicrobials for production enhancement and their presence at any stage of milk, milk products, egg, honey, and animal casing production. This includes several drugs classified by the World Health Organization as “critically important” for human medicine, such as carbapenems, glycopeptides, favipiravir, and molnupiravir.
This ban directly addresses mounting concerns over antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and drug residues in food products, which have been linked to allergic reactions and drug-resistant infections. With India’s livestock sector being a substantial consumer of antimicrobials, this step underscores the nation’s commitment to a ‘One Health’ approach, ensuring safer animal-derived foods for consumers and enhancing India’s standing in global agricultural exports amidst stricter international residue limits.
