“Over the past several years, the FDA has taken important steps toward fundamental change in how medically important antibiotics can be legally used in feed or water for food-producing animals. Now, the agency is moving to eliminate the use of such drugs for production purposes (i.e., growth promotion and feed efficiency) and bring their remaining therapeutic uses in feed and water under the supervision of licensed veterinarians – changes that are critical to ensure these drugs are used judiciously and only when appropriate for specific animal health purposes. The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) final rule is an important part of the agency’s overall strategy to ensure the judicious use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals”.
As a feed manufacturer or a store that sells medications fed to animals that fall under this law what do you need to do?
Step 1: Identify the medications, combinations, premixes and products that require a VFD. At the 2016 CFD annual meeting Dr. Eric Reid presented a list of the most common drugs used by members that will now require a VFD:
– Apramycin
– Chlortetracycline
– Erythromycin
– Gentimycin
– Hyrgomycin B
– Lincomycin
– Neomycin
– Oleandomycin
– Oxytetracycline
– Penicillin
– Spectinomycin
– Streptomycin
– Sulfachloropyrazine
– Sulfadimethoxine
– Sulfamethazine
– Sulfaquinoxaline
– Tetracycline
– Tylosin
– Virginiamycin
This list is not all inclusive, some have trade names, some are part of a product where the other ingredient doesn’t need a VFD, but those products will still need a VFD. Be diligent in finding out which products will need a VFD. See below for more information from CFD to define these requirements…
Step 2: Register with the FDA: There is a one-time registration requirement. To comply, send a letter to the FDA stating that your company is a distributor or animal feed products under 21 CFR part 558 Veterinary Feed Directive. Include: your company name and business address; signature and date of at least one owner. Mail the notification to:
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Veterinary Medicine
Division of Animal Feeds (HFV-220)
7519 Standish Place
Rockville, MD 20855 or faxed to: 240-453-6882
Step 3: Define a process for obtaining and retaining VFD documents. Key components of this process should include:
- Obtaining the VFD prior to manufacturing the feed.
- VFD must be written and signed by a Veterinarian.
- It can be a paper document or sent electronically.
- It can be delivered by the Veterinarian, Customer or a Nutritionist.
- Must contain specific information: Refer to this website for details: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm455415.htm
- Can only be used for the specified time period.
- Must be retained for 2 years.
Step 4: Train employees: All employees who receive and process orders must be trained in this requirement.
More Information:
CFD Commonly Ordered Items:
| Item # | Description | Item # | Description |
| 1100010 | Aureomycin 4 g 5 lb. | 1800654 | Tylan 40 |
| 1100034 | Aureomycin 4G 50 lb | 1800411 | Neo/Terra 10/10 |
| 1104042 | AS 700 2g | 1800006 | Aureomix S 10/10 |
| 1104046 | AS 700 3.5g | 1800005 | Aureo SP 250 |
| 1800651 | Aureomycin 100 | 1104038 | Terramycin 4 g |
| 5575320150 | Scours & Pneumonia Treatment Concentrate 50# | 1104044 | CTC 10 g |
| 0232123 | Scours & Pneumonia Treatment Concentrate 20# | 1800648 | Aureo 50 |
| 5575320239 | Scours & Pneumonia Treatment Concentrate 4.34# | 1800649 | Aureo 90 |
| 1117530 | Scours & Pneumonia Treatment 6.4 oz | 1100020 | Aureo 20 g |
| 1127530 | Scours & Pneumonia Treatment 6# | 1800688 | Sulmet 12.5% liquid |
| 2500101 | CFD 20-20 AM with OTC (to be discontinued by MFG) | 1800576 | Terramycin Scour tabs |
| 1800656 | Tylan 10 |