New Delhi, June 23 -- As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emerges as a looming global health crisis, India's apex drug regulator has asked states and Union Territories to begin systematically monitoring the use of antibiotics in livestock, a key driver long overlooked in policy and practice.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on June 5, 2025, issued a directive to all states and UTs, calling for detailed information on veterinary pharmaceutical companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and sale of veterinary antibiotics. Additionally, states have been asked to nominate senior nodal officers or drug controllers to oversee Antimicrobial Use (AMU) data collection and coordinate with national Joint Working Groups....