The classification of antimicrobials – a clash of views

Over recent years there has been a divergence in views between the World Health Organisation (WHO) and thankfully, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) over the classification of antimicrobials and their use in human and veterinary medicine. When it comes to the use of antimicrobials in animals, the European Union is in a very different position to many countries around the World. We banned the use of antimicrobials for growth promotion in 2006, nearly 10 years ago. These were compounds that wer