Joint antibiotics and resistance action plan 2010.

This Joint Antibiotics and Resistance Action Plan is a cross-sectoral national policy document. The purpose of the plan is to ensure that Denmark maintains the effectiveness of antibiotics for the treatment of infections in humans; at the same time it must be possible to continue to treat infections in livestock.
The Joint Action Plan seeks to make a joint human and veterinary coordinated effort with regard to risk assessment, risk management and risk communication in relevant focal areas. In order to deal with the challenge of antibiotics resistance and safeguard Denmark‟s favourable position in the area of antibiotics into the future, the Joint Action Plan sets up the following initiatives: 1. establishment of national cross-sectoral antibiotics council; 2. New research projects focused on cross-sectoral relationships; 3. Strengthened surveillance of resistance; 4. Revision of the reporting system for infectious diseases in humans; 5. Strengthened coordination in relation to MRSA; 6. Adoption of national principles for use of antibiotics; 7. Strengthened advice and incentive structure in herds; 8. ”Yellow card” scheme in pig herds with high consumption of antibiotics; 9. Increased focus on reporting of resistance; 10. Increased participation in international cooperation. To address a particular challenge in livestock production in relation to large increases in consumption of antibiotics, particularly in pig production, a decision has been taken to issue a ”yellow card” to the farmer when consumption of antibiotics in the herd exceeds a particular level. Under the ”Yellow card” scheme, the inspection by the Danish Veterinary and Food Authority will be focused more closely on practising veterinary surgeons who have a high proportion of herds with ”yellow cards”.