What is the impact of ELDU on public health and animal health?
When an individual makes a decision to administer a drug product on animal(s) in an extra-label manner, there are potential public health and food safety risks involved. Some of the implications of ELDU practice are as follows: • Violative drug residues may be present in food products derived from ELDU-treated animals consumed by humans or in feed by-products fed to other animals; • Violative residues may be present in the environment; • ELDU may lead to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which presents a risk to public health; • Adverse reactions may arise in treated animals since these products may not have been tested appropriately for these new conditions of use; • Drugs used in this manner may have reduced or uncertain efficacy for the conditions being treated in animals; • There may be ethical and liability considerations for veterinarians prescribing extra-label drugs that do not have proven safety or efficacy characteristics; • ELDU may potentially initiate trade
