The UAE has barred the use of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin in veterinary medicine, a move that extends a growing list of controls on antimicrobials in animals and food production.
The decision targets a drug that belongs to a class considered important for treating serious infections in people. Limiting its use in animals is meant to slow the spread of resistant bacteria.
Why animal antibiotics matter to human health
Antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, happens when bacteria and other microbes adapt so that medicines no longer work against them. Researchers note that several antimicrobial classes used in veterinary medicine are also used in human medicine, and resistance mechanisms can pass between the two sectors.
That overlap is why health authorities treat farms, clinics and kitchens as parts of a single system, often described as “One Health”. Resistant bacteria can spread through direct contact, food, water and the environment. Cutting unnecessary antibiotic exposure in animals is therefore seen as protection for people too.
A steady tightening of the rules
The ciprofloxacin ban fits a pattern. Under the federal law on veterinary products, the UAE does not allow antibiotics to be used for preventive purposes, to boost immunity or to stimulate growth. In 2024, the authorities banned the import, circulation and registration of colistin, an important last-resort antibiotic, in the veterinary sector.
The UAE has also built a policy framework around the issue. A national strategy and action plan to combat AMR was adopted in February 2021, with the health ministry in the lead and veterinary authorities involved. A National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance for 2025 to 2031 is now listed among the country’s national legislation.
The legal basis has been modernised as well. A federal decree-law regulates the authorisation, production and distribution of veterinary medicines, with rules for banned and restricted substances and divided oversight between the Emirates Drug Establishment and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
Monitoring and compliance
Bans work only if they are enforced and tracked. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has strengthened veterinary oversight, data collection and compliance with proper antimicrobial-use practices, and the UAE reports its antimicrobial consumption through an international animal-health data system. Some large producers have already gone further. Farms such as Al Ain Farms and Ajban Farms operate without the use of antibiotics.
For farmers and veterinarians, the ban will mean changing treatment protocols and relying on alternative drugs where infections arise. Vets will be expected to use prescriptions and diagnostics more carefully, and to prioritise vaccination, hygiene and better herd management.
What it means for consumers
Consumers should not expect any immediate change in what is on supermarket shelves. The goal is long-term: keeping vital drugs effective by reducing the pressure that drives resistance. Regulators generally stress that residues in food are controlled by withdrawal periods and testing, and that the main risk from misuse is the emergence of resistant bacteria rather than a direct effect on a single meal.
Health experts have long warned that AMR could become one of the leading causes of death in the coming decades. Speakers at the UAE’s 2019 international conference on the subject said misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals was one of the greatest risks to global health and food security. That message has since been built into national policy.
Challenges ahead
Several issues remain. Authorities must ensure that banned products do not enter through unregulated channels, such as online sales or informal distribution. Veterinary clinics, pet owners and livestock keepers all need clear guidance on which alternatives are safe and legal. Education will also be important, since farm workers and animal owners are often the ones making day-to-day decisions on treatment.
The ban is unlikely to be the last. As surveillance data builds up, regulators may restrict other antimicrobials that are important in human medicine. For now, the UAE’s message is that protecting these drugs is a shared responsibility among government, industry, vets and the public.
