Import ban urged by AVMA

The AVMA is urging the Food and Drug Administration to implement import regulations consistent with domestic bans on the use of chloramphenicol, diethylstilbestrol, dimetridazole, ipronidazole, furazolidone, and nitrofurazone in U.S. food animals.

The FDA has banned the use of drugs found to pose public health risks. These drugs, however, may still be used in some countries that export meat, poultry, and seafood products to the United States.

The Food Safety Advisory Committee and the Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine believe that animal products should be banned from exportation to the United States from countries where these drugs banned in this country may be used.

An import testing program for residues of these drugs is not sufficient to achieve an equal level of food safety, according to the two AVMA bodies, because domestically produced meat, poultry, and seafood products are not eligible for clearance through testing. The use of certain drugs is banned regardless of whether the use resulted in detectable residue or not, because of the potential risk of adverse effects.