Overview of Initiative

The purpose of the SAVI initiative is the creation and piloting of a national veterinary antimicrobial use (AMU) stewardship system aimed at enhancing veterinary decision  making with respect to AMU. SAVI is comprised of mutually-supporting stewardship and data collection elements, with a four-year project lifecycle (2019-2023).

The SAVI Commitment

• No duplication of effort on the part of participating veterinarians and feed mills
• Data must be collected, collated, stored and analyzed in a manner that respects the privacy and security concerns of the veterinarian, feed mill and producer. Aggregation and anonymization of data to be pursued in any reporting activities.
• System must be designed with a focus on benefits and value to participants to promote buy-in and sustainability. (bottom-up approach)

The SAVI approach to antimicrobial stewardship includes both guidance and data collection components.

1. Guidance is focused on developing guidelines, information and tools for both antimicrobial use as well as the development and collation of alternative and supplementary approaches to antimicrobial use.
2. Data collection associated with the project will focus on both electronic prescription and electronic dispensing data associated with in-feed antimicrobial use across three major species groups: beef, poultry and swine.

Key Activities Include:

• Expansion of the scope of the Veterinary AMU Guidelines into the Aquaculture and Equine sectors;
• Expansion and enhancement of the stewardship platform to include a dedicated area for alternative and supplementary guidance to AMU across eight animal sectors;
• Development of information sharing agreements and the legal framework for the secure and private transfer, exchange, storage, analysis and reporting of data;
• Development of a repository for AMU data extracted and collated from prescription and dispensing activities with the CVMA acting as steward;
• Engagement of selected veterinary clinics and feed mills with existing electronic databases to extract their data in the appropriate format.