Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. et al v. United States Food and Drug Administration et al

Filing 78

DECLARATION of Amy A. Barcelo in Support re: 63 MOTION for Summary Judgment on Plaintiffs' First Supplemental Complaint.. Document filed by Center for Veterinary Medicine, Bernadette Dunham, Margaret Hamburg, Kathleen Sebelius, United States Department of Health and Human Services, United States Food and Drug Administration. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E, # 6 Exhibit F)(Barcelo, Amy) (Additional attachment(s) added on 5/2/2012: # 6 Exhibit 6) (jfe).

AHI Statement on FDA Guidance Documents and Draft Codified Language on Antibiotics

Page 2 of 5

◦ Industry News
◦

News & Publications
AHI Statement on FDA Guidance Documents
and Draft Codified Language on Antibiotics
Share: Facebook | Twitter
by admin • April 11, 2012 • Industry News, Press Releases and Statements
AHI Statement
FDA Guidance Documents and Draft Codified Language on Antibiotics
April 11, 2012
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released three documents impacting certain uses of
medically important antibiotics in animal agriculture. The animal health industry supports the process
designed to protect the health of animals and ultimately public health, while preserving animal care
tools for veterinarians and producers. AHI and its member companies have supported the stakeholder
approach used by FDA to reach this point and we will continue to work collaboratively to implement
the policy goals articulated in these documents.
The veterinarian is critically important in animal care decisions and, ultimately, in protecting food
safety and human health. We strongly support responsible use of antibiotic medicines and the
involvement of a veterinarian whenever antibiotics are administered to food producing animals.
Implementation of this policy means all medically-important antibiotics used in animal agriculture
will be used only for therapeutic purposes – disease treatment, control and prevention — under the
supervision of a licensed veterinarian. This policy will assure these medically important medicines
are used in animal health in much the same way they are used in human health — under the
supervision of a licensed professional and only to address disease challenges at various stages.
While we agree with this direction and the collaborative, stakeholder process, there are details that
must be addressed to make this approach practical and workable. We will continue to work with FDA
through the comment process to address these details.
The responsible use of antibiotics to keep food animals healthy is important to public health because
healthy animals are the first link in the food safety chain. Other links in this chain include the
reduction of foodborne bacteria at critical steps in processing, and good food hygiene through the safe
handling and cooking of meat and poultry. Responsible use of antibiotics by farmers and
veterinarians to keep food animals healthy at the beginning of the food safety chain helps the entire
chain produce a safer food product.

http://www.ahi.org/archives/2012/04/ahi-statement-on-fda-guidance-documents-and-draft-... 4/14/2012

AHI Statement on FDA Guidance Documents and Draft Codified Language on Antibiotics

Page 3 of 5

It is important to note that this guidance and policy by FDA also fulfills the requests by a number of
public health advocacy groups in a July, 2009 letter to the Senior Economic Policy Advisor at the
White House.
AHI represents the companies that manufacture animal health products – the pharmaceuticals,
vaccines and feed additives used in modern food production, and the medicines that keep pets healthy.
Share: Facebook | Twitter

Speak Your Mind
Name *
Email *
Website




Post Comment

Recent News Headlines

AHI Statement on FDA Guidance Documents and Draft
Codified Language on Antibiotics
Kansas Bioscience Authority approves $1.6 million for animal
health researchers (via AgriMarketing)
This Season’s Ticking Bomb (via Wall Street Journal)
Rural veterinarians face changing roles (via PorkNetwork)
Stay in touch with AHI!
Sign up to receive the latest news and innovations in animal medicine.
• Enter your email address*
•

http://www.ahi.org/archives/2012/04/ahi-statement-on-fda-guidance-documents-and-draft-... 4/14/2012