FDA finalizes rule to require veterinary supervision of antimicrobial use in food-producing animals.

  • FDA and the animal feed industry have been working for years to address concerns about the use of medically important antibiotics to promote growth or feed efficiency in food-producing animals.  As previously covered on this blog, FDA has requested voluntary industry efforts to reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals and has proposed to expand the collection of data regarding the use of antibiotics in major food-producing species.  Congress also is considering a bill that would require FDA to withdraw the approval of particular antibiotics at high risk of abuse in food-producing animals.
  • On June 3, 2015, FDA published a final rule regarding Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) drugs.  Under the new rule, the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals must take place under veterinary supervision to ensure that such use occurs only when medically necessary to promote animal health.
  •  The rule represents only the latest in a series of steps being taken by FDA to promote the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals.  The animal drug and animal feed industries must remain attuned to developments in this space as numerous stakeholders continue to work together to reduce antibiotic use.