Imports of illegal veterinary products under Canada’s Own Use Import program have declined since the approval of two generic pour-on indecticides last year.
However, more work must be done to curtail imports of other unapproved veterinary drugs into Canada, says the president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA).
Julie de Moissac said the Veterinary Drug Directorate’s (VDD) approval of relatively inexpensive generic products Ivermectin Pour-on for Cattle and Vetomectin has resulted in fewer imports of unapproved Ivermectin products from the United States.
Before the generics were approved in Canada, beef producers used a loophole in the OUI program to import illegal pour-on products for use on their beef herds.
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“I must admit that I haven’t seen as much of that (imports of unapproved indecticides) happening this year because the VDD did approve those generics in Canada and the prices just tumbled,” de Moissac said.
“As a result, most producers just stayed at home this year and bought locally.”
She said the approvals reduced the purchase price of a single jug of pour-on by hundreds of dollars.
Before approval, illegally imported Ivermectin pour-ons were selling for as much as $525 a jug in Canada.
Vetomectin, a similar generic product, sells for around $95.
She said unapproved vaccines, Dutch products for treating mastitis and other veterinary drugs used on hogs continue to enter Canada illegally under the OUI program.
The CVMA has been urging federal regulators to address the issue.
De Moissac said regulators and veterinary officials are making progress, but added producers will continue to import illegal drugs until loopholes in the OUI program are closed.
“The CVMA’s objection has always been that these products have not been approved for use on food production animals in Canada,” she said. “For us, it’s a food safety issue.”
Ivermectin Pour-On for Cattle, manufactured by Alberta Veterinary Laboratories (AVL) in Calgary, controls internal and external parasites including lice, intestinal worms, grubs, mites and flies.
“Ivermectin Pour-on for Cattle was identified as the product critical to the industry and was chosen as the first product AVL would develop,” said Merle Olson, a director of research and technical services with AVL.
“The introduction of a Canadian manufactured Ivermectin Pour on for Cattle will save Alberta cattle producers approximately $9 million per year through reduced pharmaceutical input costs.”
De Moissac said the use of antibiotics in animal feed is another issue for veterinarians.
The CVMA published a position paper in 2009 outlining the association’s views on the practice.
The document contains prudent use guidelines for prescribed antibiotics in all food producing animals. It outlines steps that should be taken and drugs that should be used to treat specific health issues in food producing animals.
De Moissac said the paper has generated interest among veterinary associations in other countries and medical professionals who are concerned about antibiotic resistance in humans.
“It is something that we are very cognizant about and we understand that there are antibiotic resistance issues in humans and in animals,” de Moissac said.
She also said the CVMA document deals only with prescribed antibiotics and not with nonprescribed medicated livestock feed.
