Australia recommends ban on animal feed drug
Date: 04-Apr-03
Country: AUSTRALIA
The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) said the antibiotic should no longer be used to boost growth in food animals because eating meat from livestock treated with the drug may make humans more resistant to antibiotics.
"Since a related antibiotic is now being used in human medicine we wish to avoid any likelihood of antibiotic resistance developing and affecting people," APVMA's principal scientist, Tim Dyke, said in a statement.
"Cancelling its use as a growth promotant in animals is the way to do this."
The drug could still be used to treat animal disease if prescribed by a veterinarian.
The recommendation to ban the antibiotic in Australia will be open for public comment for two months.
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) lost an appeal in September to overturn the ban on the drug put in place in 1998 by the Council of European Agricultural Ministers. The European ban came into effect in July 1999.
Pfizer marketed virginiamycin until the company sold its worldwide feed-additive business in late 2000.
Antibiotics are regularly added to animal feed as a way of keeping livestock healthy and boosting meat yields.
