Import, marketing and manufacture of colistin-containing products banned in Peru

As a result of the work deployed under the framework of the 2019–2021 Multi-Sector Plan to Address Antimicrobial Resistance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (Minagri) published on Monday the Directorial Resolution Nº 0091-2019-MINAGRI-SENASA-DIAIA, which bans the import, trade, manufacture, and development of veterinary products containing the active ingredient colistin (Polymyxin E). 

Currently, the health authority has registered 57 products for veterinary use, whose active ingredient corresponds to colistin. 28 companies hold such records. 

The resolution also mentions that those who have these products in their possession shall exhaust their stocks not exceeding a 4-month period.

Within the indicated 4-month time and after it, the National Agricultural Sanitation Service (Senasa) will conduct pharmaco-surveillance to verify that veterinary products containing colistin (Polymyxin E) or any of its salts, have not been imported, manufactured, or sold, so as they have also stopped being used in animal health and feed production.

Failure to comply with these regulations will result in the application of sanitary measures as established in the General Agrarian Health Law (Legislative Decree Nº 1059) and its complementary regulations.

The resolution has also established to communicate the National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration (Sunat) about the current regulation for colistin (Polymyxin E) and any of its salts.

It is worth highlighting that only in the event that veterinary products containing colistin are in transit to Peru prior to the entry-into-force date of the referred resolution, their entry should be allowed.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a growing threat to global public health. Through the use, excessive use, and misuse of antimicrobials in human health and agriculture sectors, more and more microorganisms become resistant to drugs that were previously susceptible.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that colistin is the last resort for the treatment of potentially deadly infections. WHO has also identified the mcr-1 gene associated with resistance to colistin in some bacteria, and in 2017 such gene was found in Escherichia coli in our country.

The 2019-2021 Multi-Sector Plan to Address Antimicrobial Resistance was approved and the Permanent Nature Multi-sector Commission was originated through the Supreme Decree N° 010-2019-SA. Said commission designs strategies to address the problem and has already shown results.

(END) NDP/RMB/MVB