What is the primary purpose of Guidance 213?

What is the primary purpose of Guidance 213?

• A. To restrict the use of medically important antibiotics in food and water and therapeutic purposes only, with authorization from a licensed veterinarian.
• B. To promote growth promotion in animal production.
• C. To ban all antibiotic use in animals.
• D. To permit unrestricted OTC use of antibiotics in feed and water.

Answer: (A)

Guidance 213 aims to curb antimicrobial resistance by changing how medically important antibiotics are used in food-producing animals. It restricts use of these drugs to therapeutic purposes only and requires authorization from a licensed veterinarian, effectively ending growth-promoting and other non-therapeutic uses in feed or water. This is why the best choice is the one that states restricting use to therapeutic purposes under veterinary oversight. The other options conflict with this approach: promoting growth, banning all antibiotic use, or allowing unrestricted over-the-counter use do not align with Guidance 213’s emphasis on veterinary-supervised, therapeutic use only.

Guidance 213 aims to curb antimicrobial resistance by changing how medically important antibiotics are used in food-producing animals. It restricts use of these drugs to therapeutic purposes only and requires authorization from a licensed veterinarian, effectively ending growth-promoting and other non-therapeutic uses in feed or water. This is why the best choice is the one that states restricting use to therapeutic purposes under veterinary oversight. The other options conflict with this approach: promoting growth, banning all antibiotic use, or allowing unrestricted over-the-counter use do not align with Guidance 213’s emphasis on veterinary-supervised, therapeutic use only.