The United States is proposing to restrict the
use of antibiotics as growth promotants for livestock and poultry.
It’s a long-discussed proposal with people on
both sides of the issue taking strong positions.
Many farmers, feed millers and drug companies
oppose the move to require a veterinary prescription, but many health-industry
and consumer-advocate members want even stricter regulations than these
proposals to reduce the incidence of antibiotic resistance.
Under the proposal which is up for comment over
the next 90 days, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will require feed mills
and/or farmers to obtain a veterinary prescription for any use of antibiotics.
Prescriptions will be allowed for use as a growth promotant.
The government amended its regulations in 1996
to create a new classification for veterinary prescriptions of this kind, but
few drugs were covered by the new classification.
Most drugs and medicines for livestock and
poultry are sold either over the counter – i.e. freely available to feed mills
and farmers – or require a veterinary prescription, usually to treat an illness
or infection.
This classification is more flexible for farmers, feed millers and veterinarians. One of the key requirements will be recording antibiotic uses and keeping the records for one year.
“We know that widespread use of antibiotics in
animals and humans can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, and we know it
has significant health consequences,” Michael Taylor, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner
for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, said in announcing the proposals.
FDA is issuing a final guidance document that explains
how animal pharmaceutical companies can voluntarily remove growth enhancement
and feed-efficiency indications from the approved uses of their products, and
move the therapeutic uses of these products from over-the-counter availability
to marketing status requiring veterinary oversight.
With those changes made, as laid out in a proposed rule, the affected products can
then only be used in food-producing animals to treat, prevent or control
disease with a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.
Drug companies will have 90 days to indicate
whether they will cooperate. Those who don’t might face regulatory action.
The FDA says it will phase in the new
restrictions over three years, gauging effectiveness along the way.
So far Canada has not banned the
growth-promoting use of antibiotics, but it’s likely that it will follow the
U.S. lead to keep exports moving readily into the U.S.
