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September 29, 2006
Take that, agribusiness!
Pharmaceutical-loving agribusiness corporations took a hard blow this week when the FDA officially rejected a proposed cattle antibiotic called Cefquinome.
The new drug (which was intended to be used to treat respiratory disease in cattle) will not be allowed on the commercial market, since the FDA's Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee (VMAC) turned it down after a hearing on Monday.
The hearing included testimonies from the Union of Concerned Scientists, Keep Antibiotics Working, the American Medical Association and the Infectious Disease Society of America. The groups argued that use of the antibiotic (which is very similar to cefepime, a drug used in human medicine) could foster the development of antibiotic resistant strains of E coli and Salmonella.
Let's all take a moment to thank those four organizations, and also thank the FDA for listening to them. Although this decision does not affect the current over-use of antibiotics in US agriculture, it's certainly a start.
Posted by gwen at September 29, 2006 11:38 AM
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Comments
Now it looks like the FDA will approve cefquinome after all. Does anyone know how to best protest this? For instance, is there a comment period or something? Thanks.
Posted by: Alyson at March 4, 2007 08:24 AM | Useful? Then Digg It.
FYI-
We are not across the finish line with this one. The FDA Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee recommended that FDA not approve the drug. FDA has not published a decision and the drug company Intervet has stated it intends to go forward and seek approval.
The likely outcome at this time is that FDA will override the advice of this committee and approve the drug. The groups that commented are still trying to convince FDA not to approve but the animal drug side of FDA at this time is very pro-industry.
Posted by: Anonymous at October 30, 2006 04:48 PM | Useful? Then Digg It.
I still can't believe bovine growth hormone (rbgh) is acceptable.
Posted by: Matt at October 1, 2006 09:12 PM | Useful? Then Digg It.