Are these two uses of colistin equally important? Do we really have the luxury of undermining the efficacy of a life-saving antibiotic just to maximise the number of piglets a sow produces?

Last month, a leading medical journal, The Lancet, reported that in the 53 European region countries, which includes the EU, antimicrobial resistance is associated with over half a million deaths. In 2019, antimicrobial resistance was responsible for more deaths worldwide than malaria and HIV together.

Antibiotic-resistant infections cannot be contained by geographical borders. That is why they are addressed as a global threat by the World Health Organisation, which has recognised antimicrobial resistance as “a leading cause of death around the world, with the highest burdens in low-resource settings.”

This statement helps to put things into perspective. Meat consumption has been low in most countries outside of the EU with the annual global consumption level of around 35 kg per person.

This stands in stark contrast with the EU average of almost 70 kg. With over 60% of all antibiotics given to animals, it is clear that the EU’s high meat consumption is contributing to widening global health inequalities.