Over the counter (OTC) "medically important" antibiotics will transition to prescription status in June this year and will only be available with a veterinary prescription and must be purchased from a veterinarian or a pharmacy.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked manufacturers to stop shipping OTC products and provide only products labeled for prescription use by June 11, 2023. The change on the store shelves may occur earlier or later, depending on several factors.
Some manufacturers have already shipped the last of their OTC products, some of which may run out before June 11, 2023, while others are plentiful in retail and distribution channels. These products may be on the shelves beyond June 11, 2023.
The FDA will honor these remaining products as OTC until their expiration date, so it will be legal to sell and use these products without a veterinary prescription until they expire.
Medically important antibiotics belong to classes of antibiotics that are shared between human and veterinary medicine. These classes are targeted because resistance to these types of antibiotics pose the most risk to both human and animal health. Impacted product types are listed below.
For more details, a full list of products, including manufacturer information, is available on the FDA website.
OTC antibiotic active ingredients impacted by the June 2023 changes: Injectable products
Penicillins Tetracyclines Sulfa antibiotics Erythromycin Tylosin Lincomycin Spectinomycin Gentamicin Intramammary products (mastitis tubes)
Erythromycin Penicillins Dihydrostreptomycin Novobiocin Cephapirin Cephapirin Benzathine Oral liquids and boluses
Dihydrostreptomycin Sulfa antibiotics Tetracyclines Spectinomycin Gentamicin Eye ointments
Gentamicin Tetracyclines What products are not impacted? The upcoming changes will not alter access to products that are already under veterinary oversight, including all VFD and prescription products. There are also a wide range of non-antibiotic and non-medically important antibiotic products that will remain available over the counter.
Examples of the types of products not impacted by the June 2023 changes: Products under current veterinary oversight
Prescription products Veterinary feed directive products OTC animal health products
Vaccines Dewormers Fly control Hormone implants Teat sealants Ionophore products How will farms have access to medications? To obtain a veterinary prescription, you will need to establish a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) with a veterinarian. Each veterinarian or veterinary clinic will define exactly what they require to establish and maintain a valid VCPR.
This will often include a farm visit for a non-emergency reason and may also require written treatment or vaccination protocols for the operation. If your farm does not already have a VCPR, it is important to reach out to local veterinarians to determine what is needed to establish a VCPR.
Once a VCPR is established, your veterinarian can provide a prescription for products they deem appropriate for the operation. The product itself may be purchased directly from the veterinarian, via a mail order service through the veterinarian, or from a pharmacy, often online, that carries livestock medications.
Do not expect your local farm store to carry these products, as they are likely not a pharmacy, which typically requires a pharmacy license and a pharmacist on staff.
What about emergencies? Proactive planning is an important part of raising livestock. The upcoming changes to antibiotic access do not require a veterinarian to examine each animal personally. By establishing a VCPR and written treatment protocols, some veterinarians may allow specific products to be kept on hand for use as cases of common diseases arise.
Although establishing a VCPR by telemedicine is not allowed, once established, in many jurisdictions, telemedicine is allowed for continuing care. This provides an option to get veterinary input on treatment recommendations when a visit may not be feasible.
Source: michiganfarmnews.com
Categories: Michigan, General