THE United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued an order prohibiting the use of cephalosporin as a veterinary drug for treatment of food producing animals.
The edict prohibits certain uses of the cephalosporin (excluding cephapirin) class of antimicrobial drugs in cattle, swine, chicken and turkey. This action is preserving the effectiveness of cephalosporin drugs for treating diseases in humans and intended to reduce the risk of cephalosporin resistance in certain bacterial pathogens, said a release from the Guyana Government Analyst Food and Drugs Department.
The release said the USFDA prohibition is against what are called ‘extra label’ or unapproved uses of cephalosporin in cattle, swine, chicken and turkey, the major species of food producing animals.
Specifically, the prohibited uses include cephalosporin drugs at unapproved dose levels, frequencies, durations, or routes of administration, as well as the usage of cephalosporin in cattle, swine, chickens or turkeys that are not approved for use in that species, since the drug is intended for humans and to prevent diseases.
The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department said it is, accordingly, alerting all veterinarians and veterinary assistants not to administer it to food producing animals or sell it for veterinary uses.
In wake of the order, importers of veterinary drugs are reminded to comply with the regulatory requirements to be registered as importers to facilitate the monitoring of related imports.
The Department said it will be utilising the new collaboration with Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to intercept non-compliant importers and illicit veterinary products and local manufacturers are required to be registered.