The key facts
- From November 1, veterinary use of ciprofloxacin — a fluoroquinolone-class antibiotic classified by WHO as critically important for human medicine — is banned in the UAE.
- The ban affects nine products: eight imported and one local; companies must withdraw remaining stock from the market before the ban takes effect.
- The decision followed a scientific assessment of antimicrobial resistance data, including research presented by the UAE University.
Ban on veterinary use
The UAE is banning veterinary use of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin from November 1 as part of the fight against drug resistance and to improve patient safety. The national pharmaceutical regulator — the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) — explained the measure as necessary to 'preserve the effectiveness of medicines used in human medicine'. According to The National, ciprofloxacin is commonly used to treat bacterial infections and belongs to the fluoroquinolone class, which is classified as critically important antimicrobials (CIA) for human medicine due to their role in treating urinary tract infections, sepsis, pneumonia and joint infections. The drug is also prescribed to animals, including dogs and cats, for skin and bladder infections.
Rationale and implementation procedure
EDE noted that inappropriate use of the drug in animals may contribute to the development of bacterial resistance, reduce drug effectiveness and 'create a public health problem'. The decision followed a scientific assessment of antimicrobial resistance data, including research presented by the UAE University. Acting Executive Director of the Medical Products Regulation Sector at EDE, Dr Ruqaya Aqeel Al Bastaki, said such decisions take into account the risks of individual products and their impact on treatment priorities, and that the regulator will respond to the threat of antimicrobial resistance to protect public health. The ban covers veterinary medicinal products and raw materials containing ciprofloxacin and affects nine products: eight imported and one registered locally. Companies must stop production, import and supply, withdraw existing stocks from the local market before the ban takes effect, and re-export or dispose of remaining stocks according to approved procedures, submitting documents confirming compliance with the measures. EDE is preparing a compliance monitoring plan within the established timeframes.
Context: antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance is a situation where bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites do not respond to medicines, making treatment of infections difficult or impossible and increasing the risk of disease spread. According to the latest WHO data, it is estimated to have contributed to more than 4.7 million deaths worldwide in 2021. WHO notes that improper and excessive use of antimicrobials accelerates the development and spread of resistant pathogens. As of 2023, approximately one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections was resistant to antibiotics, and WHO stated that the world faces a 'crisis in antimicrobial research and development', as few medicines are in development to address this problem.
