FDA will fund studies on alternatives to antimicrobials for use in farmed animal production
The Center for Veterinary Medicine of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced funding opportunities of up to US$800K in FY 2022 in support of antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings in an effort to reduce antimicrobial resistance in animal agriculture.
In the first initiative, the US agency said it will accept research applications that show potential alternative practices for reducing the reliance on antimicrobial drugs in livestock. This program may fund up to US$500K total this time out, with five awardees set as the maximum.
While the FDA does not specifically mention animal nutrition based approaches, it said the funds can “support studies that identify the most common drivers for antimicrobial use in animal agriculture and identify potential alternatives to antimicrobials.”
Alternative practices that could help reduce the reliance on such drugs, it continued, can include changes in husbandry, biosecurity, vaccination, and other practices.
That program is also intended to provide information about animal diseases that are the most significant drivers for antimicrobial use cattle, swine, turkey, and chicken production.
Communication strategies
For the second grant opportunity, the FDA said it is accepting applications for the development of educational strategies aimed at disseminating information on antimicrobial resistance and on implementing antimicrobial stewardship practices in food-producing animals.
This grant program may fund up to US$300K total in FY 2022, which can be divided between up to three awardees, said the regulatory body.
Future funding for both programs, it added, may be available for up to four additional years based on annual appropriations, availability of funds, and satisfactory recipient performance.
The FDA said the grant programs are intended to build upon its existing initiatives to support antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings and expand stakeholder engagement.
