Being less reliant on antimicrobial drugs might also help minimise the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, she added.

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The agency recommends that use of "medically important antimicrobial drugs" in food-producing animals be restricted to situations where they are necessary to ensure animal health, and used under veterinary supervision, Isa said.

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Drugmakers have tried to bottle their power, but the compounds, known as antimicrobial peptides, have proven to be poor drugs.

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