FDA Seeks to Limit Antibiotics in Animal Feed

The Food and Drug Administration has released guidance asking drug companies to voluntarily limit the use of certain antibiotics in animal feed in response to concerns that their overuse in livestock contributes to the development of drug-resistant bacteria. 

"It is critical that we take action to protect public health," said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, MD.

The agency has published three documents to address the issue: (1) A final guidance that recommends phasing out the agricultural production use of medically important drugs and phasing in veterinary oversight of therapeutic uses of these drugs; (2) a draft guidance to help drug companies in voluntarily removing production uses of antibiotics from their FDA-approved product labels, adding, where appropriate, scientifically-supported disease prevention, control, and treatment uses; and changing the marketing status to include veterinary oversight; and (3) a draft proposed Veterinary Feed Directive regulation that outlines ways that veterinarians can authorize the use of certain animal drugs in feed.

Read more:

FDA - Guidance for Industry: The Judicious Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals

FDA - Guidance for Industry New Animal Drugs and New Animal Drug Combination Products Administered in or on Medicated Feed or Drinking Water of FoodProducing Animals: Recommendations for Drug Sponsors for Voluntarily Aligning Product Use Conditions with GFI #209 

FDA - Veterinary Feed Directive; Draft Text for Proposed Regulation

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