The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued an order that
prohibits certain uses of the cephalosporin class of antimicrobial drugs
in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys effective April 5, 2012.
Antimicrobial
drugs are important for treating disease in both humans and animals.
This new order takes into consideration the substantial public comment
FDA received on a similar order that it issued in 2008, but revoked
prior to implementation.
FDA is taking this action
to preserve the effectiveness of cephalosporin drugs for treating
disease in humans. Prohibiting these uses is intended to reduce the risk
of cephalosporin resistance in certain bacterial pathogens.
Cephalosporins
are commonly used in humans to treat pneumonia as well as to treat skin
and soft tissue infections. In addition, they are used in the treatment
of pelvic inflammatory disease, diabetic foot infections, and urinary
tract infections. If cephalosporins are not effective in treating these
diseases, doctors may have to use drugs that are not as effective or
that have greater side effects.
In its order,
FDA is prohibiting what are called “extralabel” or unapproved uses of
cephalosporins in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys, the so-called
major species of food-producing animals. Specifically, the prohibited
uses include:
- using cephalosporin drugs at unapproved dose levels, frequencies, durations, or routes of administration;
- using cephalosporin drugs in cattle, swine, chickens or turkeys that are not approved for use in that species (e.g., cephalosporin drugs intended for humans or companion animals);
- using cephalosporin drugs for disease prevention.
In
2008, FDA issued and then revoked an order that prohibited extralabel
uses of cephalosporins in food-producing animals with no exceptions.
Today’s announcement responds to public comment and includes the
following exceptions, which protect public health while considering
animal health needs:
- The order does not limit the use of cephapirin, an older cephalosporin drug that is not believed by FDA to contribute significantly to antimicrobial resistance.
- Veterinarians will still be able to use or prescribe cephalosporins for limited extra-label use in cattle, swine, chickens or turkeys as long as they follow the dose, frequency, duration, and route of administration that is on the label.
- Veterinarians may also use or prescribe cephalosporins for extralabel uses in minor species of food-producing animals such as ducks or rabbits.
"We believe
this is an imperative step in preserving the effectiveness of this class
of important antimicrobials that takes into account the need to protect
the health of both humans and animals," said Michael R. Taylor, Deputy
Commissioner for Foods.
The new order of
prohibition has a comment period that will begin on Jan. 6, 2012 and
close on March 6, 2012. To comment on the order of prohibition, visit
www.regulations.gov and enter FDA-2008-N-0326 in the keyword box.
Following the comment period, the FDA will consider the comments prior
to the order of prohibition going into effect on April 5, 2012.
