Does the new final rule mean that all cephalosporin drug use in food-producing animals is prohibited?
No, the rule only applies to the extralabel use of cephalosporins in food-producing animals. Use of cephalosporin drugs for their approved indications in food animal species is not prohibited under this rule because human food safety issues regarding the approved conditions of use were evaluated during the approval process and found to be safe. • What is extralabel drug use? The term “extralabel use” refers to use of an approved drug in an animal in a manner that does not follow the approved labeling. Extralabel drug use should only occur in circumstances when an animal’s health is threatened, or suffering or death may occur if treatment is not administered. Under the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA), extralabel use of drugs in animals is permitted only by, or on the order of, a licensed veterinarian within the context of a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship. A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship has several specific components. First,
