AASV Submits Comments on VFD Rule

August 24, 2010 — 

The AASV has submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration regarding a request from the agency for information relating to the veterinary feed directive (VFD).

On March 29, 2010, the FDA announced an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit comments from the public regarding potential changes to its current regulation related to VFD drugs. The Agency is requesting public comment on all aspects of the VFD regulation, particularly suggestions related to improving efficiency. This information may be used to help draft a proposed rule in the near future.

The VFD regulation, which became effective on January 8, 2001, established requirements relating to the distribution and use of VFD drugs and animal feeds containing such drugs. FDA reaffirmed that certain new animal drugs should be approved for use in animal feed only if these medicated feeds are administered under a veterinarian's order and professional supervision. Currently, there are only two approved VFD animal drug products, Nuflor and Pulmotil, both approved for use in swine.

FDA has received a number of informal general comments that characterize the current VFD process as being overly burdensome. In addition, there are concerns that the process in its current form will become particularly problematic to administer in the future as the number of approved VFD animal drugs increases. When veterinary oversight of a medicated feed is determined to be necessary, it is critically important that such oversight be facilitated through an efficient VFD process.

The AASV comment can be viewed online by entering the docket number FDA-2010-N-0155 in the search box and scrolling down to find the AASV comment. If you are interested in submitting a comment on the proposed rule you can do so online, by fax or by mail if received by August 27th.