- Medically important antimicrobial sales rose 16% from 2023 to 2024.
- Sales remain 27% below the all-time high recorded in 2015.
- Data include sales and distribution volumes reported by animal drug sponsors to the FDA.
- The agency emphasized that sales do not necessarily reflect actual use in animals.
- Interactive dashboards now provide greater transparency through species, drug class, and year filters.
- Biomass-adjusted data available to help interpret antimicrobial sales relative to animal populations.
Understanding the 2024 Findings
The FDA’s report reflects data required under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which mandates annual reporting of antimicrobial sales and distribution by drug sponsors. The 2024 results represent a departure from the relatively stable trend observed since 2017.
Sales fluctuations, according to the FDA, may occur due to changes in animal populations, health conditions, or production practices. The agency clarified that the data captures sales volume, not actual antimicrobial use.
Enhanced Data Access and Visualization
For 2024, the FDA expanded public access to the data through a dashboard-based reporting format, allowing users to visualize antimicrobial sales across variables such as drug class, livestock species, and year.
The report also includes biomass-adjusted data, which normalize antimicrobial sales relative to the size of the treated animal population. This approach provides a more accurate understanding of antimicrobial distribution trends in U.S. livestock.
Supporting Stewardship and Resistance Mitigation
The FDA continues its efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance and promote judicious antimicrobial use in veterinary settings. The agency provides guidance, Q&A resources, and stewardship initiatives to support data-driven policy and responsible prescribing practices.
Additional Resources
- 2024 Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals
- Data Spreadsheet: Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals (2015–2024)
- Biomass-Adjusted Antimicrobial Sales and Distribution Data in Food-Producing Animals: Interactive Summary
- Questions and Answers: Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals
- Antimicrobial Stewardship in Veterinary Settings
- Final Rule to Collect Antimicrobial Sales and Distribution Information by Animal Species
Information sourced from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) press release.
