{"id":1521,"date":"2015-06-07T08:27:56","date_gmt":"2015-06-07T12:27:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/?p=1521"},"modified":"2015-06-08T14:19:49","modified_gmt":"2015-06-08T18:19:49","slug":"cattle-and-pigs-and-chickens-oh-yeah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2015\/06\/07\/1521\/cattle-and-pigs-and-chickens-oh-yeah\/","title":{"rendered":"Cattle and Pigs and Chickens, Oh Yeah!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"images\"<\/a>
Without growth promoting antibiotics, get ready to see a lot of unhappy cows in the gym…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Final Rule was announced earlier this month by FDA, the accompanying press release called it a \u2018major step towards judicious antibiotic use\u2019 in veterinary medicine\u00a0[1]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There are several elements which look good, at least on paper:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. As prescribers of any and all antibiotics it puts veterinarians in the role of gatekeepers. They have to fill out a form documenting a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR).<\/li>\n
  2. Manufacturers will have to change product labels removing claims of \u2018growth promotion\u2019.<\/li>\n
  3. Veterinarians will be allowed to prescribe antibiotics for \u2018animal health reasons\u2019 only.<\/li>\n
  4. Most importantly, the veterinary oversight is being phased in as OTC antibiotics change their marketing status to become VFD drugs.

    DEFINITIONS:<\/span><\/strong>
    \nOTC Drug = Over-The-Counter approved animal drug available without a prescription or Veterinary Feed Directive<\/span>
    \nVFD Drug = a drug approved for use in animal feed \u2026under the professional supervision of a licensed veterinarian<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The last point is most important as almost all\u00a0current antibiotic use in veterinary medicine is OTC which by definition means dispensation without supervision.<\/p>\n

    The other ingredients of the Final Rule are of uncertain value.\u00a0 There is no great expectations that veterinarians will be better gatekeepers than they were in the past.\u00a0 Or other doctors who keep prescribing antibiotics for the common cold.\u00a0 But US veterinarians have the benefit of learning from their European colleagues who have shown that less is better.\u00a0 Education and awareness campaigns and data driven guidance from professional organizations may affect a gradual change.<\/p>\n

    For now, the use of antibiotics for ‘infection prevention’ leaves the door wide open for those who want to continue current practices.<\/p>\n

    FDA has built in some enforcement measures and will monitor adherence.\u00a0 However, the ultimate proof that this legislation really made a difference will only come some\u00a0years from now. \u00a0After 2016 we would like to see\u00a0a consistent gradual decrease in all the following areas:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. overall antibiotic consumption for veterinary use,<\/li>\n
    2. the manufacture of antibiotics for US veterinary use, AND<\/li>\n
    3. the rate of MDR pathogens (Salmonella, E.coli, Campylobacter) in cultures from animals and farm products.\"NARMS\"<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      There is a National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) already in place to provide relevant surveillance data.\u00a0 Its khaki logo looks appropriately militaristic for this new \u201cWar on Bugs\u201d. \u00a0As a joint venture of CDC, FDA and USDA, this surveillance system collects relevant resistance information from human, food, and animals sources. \u00a0NARMS\u00a0also provides yearly update reports.<\/p>\n

      With VFD legislation taking\u00a0effect in\u00a02016, and given the lag time related to the roll-out of the new measures, it is unlikely we will see the effect of this Final Rule\u00a0before the 2020 NARMS report. \u00a0Let’s keep fingers crossed!<\/p>\n

      \n

      Here some background facts about antibiotics in current veterinary use [2]:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n