Consultation on new regulations for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) related to veterinary drugs

From Health Canada

Proposed changes to the Food and Drug Regulations are undergoing public consultation. This will help address the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) related to veterinary drugs.

Why

AMR is a serious and growing public health threat in Canada and around the world. The Food and Drug Regulations currently do not control the risk of AMR for veterinary drugs well enough. Changes are needed to create the proper regulatory oversight.

The goal of changing current regulations related to AMR is to limit risks to human health.

Who

This consultation is looking for comments from:

• the public
• impacted stakeholders, such as:
• feed mills
• pharmacists
• veterinarians
• food animal producers and farmers
• manufacturers, importers and distributors
• drug compounders, who mix or combine ingredients to make a drug
• associations
• provincial and territorial governments

What

The purpose of this consultation is to ask for comments on proposed changes to:

• restrict the importation of certain veterinary drugs
• introduce an easier way to access low-risk veterinary health products
• require manufacturers, veterinarians and compounders to follow stricter rules regarding the quality of the active ingredients used in antimicrobials
  • active ingredients are substances in drugs that make the medications work
• require manufacturers, importers and compounders to provide sales information so that the federal government can better monitor the use of antimicrobial drugs

When and where

The online consultation will be available from July 2, 2016 to September 14, 2016.

How to participate

Your comments will be used as feedback for policy making with regards to the proposed changes.

You may submit your comments by email to ConsultationVDD-DMV@hc-sc.gc.ca. Additional information about the proposed changes is available upon request.

Related information

• Antibiotic (antimicrobial) resistance
• Food and Drugs Act
• Food and Drug Regulations
• Federal Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and Use in Canada: Building on the Federal Framework for Action
• Technical discussions on veterinary drugs regulatory modernization
• Collaborative efforts to promote the judicious use of medically-important antimicrobial drugs in food animal production

Contact us

Veterinary Drugs Directorate
Health Canada, Health Products and Foods Branch
Holland Cross Complex
11 Holland Avenue
Ground Floor, Suite 14
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9

Email: ConsultationVDD-DMV@hc-sc.gc.ca