UAE Implements Ban on Key Antibiotic in Animals to Combat Superbugs and Protect Human Health

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will prohibit the veterinary use of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin starting November 1, a decisive step in its campaign to combat antimicrobial resistance and enhance patient safety. Ciprofloxacin, a potent antibiotic widely used for treating bacterial infections, belongs to the fluoroquinolone class, known for its effectiveness against bacteria. These are designated as critically important antimicrobials (CIAs) for human medicine due to their crucial role in treating severe conditions like urinary tract infections, sepsis, pneumonia, and joint infections.

While also prescribed for animals, including dogs and cats, to treat infections such as skin and bladder issues, the National pharmaceutical regulator, the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE), stated that the ban aims to "preserve the effectiveness of treatments used in human medicine." The EDE highlighted that the inappropriate use of ciprofloxacin in animals could accelerate the development of bacterial resistance, thereby diminishing the efficacy of vital medicines and presenting a significant public health challenge.

This significant decision follows a thorough scientific assessment of antimicrobial resistance data, which included studies contributed by United Arab Emirates University. Dr. Ruqaya Aqeel Al Bastaki, acting executive director of the Medical Products Regulation Sector at the EDE, emphasized that such regulatory actions consider the risks associated with specific products and their broader impact on treatment priorities. She assured that the regulator is committed to addressing concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance to safeguard public health.

Enforcement of the Ban: The prohibition encompasses veterinary medicinal products and raw materials containing ciprofloxacin, affecting nine products in total—eight imported and one locally registered. The EDE has directed relevant establishments to cease the manufacturing, importation, and supply of these products, and to recall existing stocks from the local market before the ban's effective date. Remaining quantities must be re-exported or disposed of according to approved procedures. Establishments are required to submit documentation verifying the completion of these measures. The EDE is also developing a compliance monitoring plan within the stipulated timeframe.

Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance: Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to medicines, making infections exceedingly difficult or impossible to treat and increasing the risk of disease transmission. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that antimicrobial resistance contributed to over 4.7 million deaths globally in 2021. The WHO attributes the acceleration of drug-resistant pathogen development and spread to the misuse and overuse of antimicrobial drugs. As of 2023, approximately one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections exhibited resistance to antibiotics, leading the WHO to declare a global "antimicrobial research and development crisis" due to a scarcity of new medicines to combat this growing threat.