VMD issues advice on cascade use of antibiotics
VMD has released a position statement in response to concerns over antibiotic use on the cascade.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is calling for professional bodies, veterinary schools and research institutes to work together to help vets make a more informed choice when prescribing antibiotics on the cascade.
Veterinary surgeons have raised concerns with the VMD about the difficulty of balancing the responsible use of antibiotics with legal requirements to prescribe UK authorised medicines before applying the cascade.
According to the VMD, vets are reporting an increasingly common challenge - where there is an authorised medicine that is a critically important antibiotic (CIA) and/or is not narrow spectrum. Under legislative requirements, this should be used as a first line treatment, rather than an unauthorised, non-CIA drug.
However, in some cases, other products authorised for use in other EU member states may be more appropriate in terms of the responsible use of antibiotics.
In response to these concerns, the VMD has issued its position statement on prescribing antibiotics under the cascade.
On a case-by-case basis, the directorate says it is "justified" to to prescribe an antibiotic on the cascade to reduce the development of resistance.
Vets must demonstrate that they have considered the most appropriate active substance(s), formulation, posology, current patterns of resistance in their locality, awareness of how to reduce selection pressure and other factors, such as good biosecurity, husbandry, hygiene and avoidance of surgical sepsis.
VMD is calling for the industry to collaborate on compiling up-to-date evidence and guidance to help vets make an informed choice based on scientific evidence and peer reviewed data.
Vets are also advised to keep up-to-date with the latest guidance provided by organisations including the BVA, BSAVA, BEVA, Pig Veterinary Society and Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture.
For the full position statement, see the VMD website: http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/pdf/cascade.pdf
The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
