Health concerns cause antibiotic opposition
By Jeff DeYoung, Iowa Farmer Today
April 11, 2007 2:49 PM CDT
The proposed approval of a new cattle vaccine could turn into a political football, says a Kansas veterinarian.
Cefquinome, an antibiotic manufactured by Intervet, did not receive approval this past fall from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee. However, the FDA is still considering approving the drug for use in cattle.
“FDA cannot refuse the product if the company meets all the requirements set forth for approval, and Intervet has done that,” says Larry Hollis, Extension beef veterinarian at Kansas State University. “The only way approval can be denied is if it’s stopped politically.”
Intervet says Cefquinome is the “active ingredient of various Cobactan formulations, which are licensed in Europe for the treatment of respiratory disease, mastitis, septicemia and foot rot in cattle and/or swine.”
These fourth-generation cephalosporins have been used in Europe for treating veterinary and human infectious diseases. Intervet says there have been no problems. However, several U.S. organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA), are opposed to the approval of Cefquinome because of human health concerns.
“The AMA is concerned by data that have accumulated on the use of a third-generation cephalosporin in food animals,” said Michael Maves, CEO and executive vice president of the AMA in a letter mailed to the FDA committee this past fall.
“The only third-generation cephalosporin approved for use in these animals in the United States is ceftiofur, which is widely used in cattle, chickens, and turkeys, in part because there is no withdrawal time. With the unrestricted use of ceftiofur, data from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) indicate that ceftriaxone-resistant Salmonella and E. coli have emerged and spread in the United States. Ceftriaxone is commonly used for the treatment of severe infections, and the spread of resistance to this agent is therefore of clinical concern. Given the current outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in this country, this increase in resistance is particularly troubling.”
Hollis says there are other antibiotics on the market that can do the same things as Cefquinome.
“Do we need the product? My contention is we don’t,” he says.
But, Hollis is concerned about possible ramifications if the drug is not approved.
“Do we want to give politicians the chance to block it? If we do, then you can kiss the money all these companies are putting into research goodbye,” he says. “They aren’t going to be willing to take the chance.”
Hollis says if beef is properly prepared, there is little chance of picking up any form of resistant bacteria.
“Intervet is following the letter of the law here,” he says. “I would hate to see this become a political issue.”
iowafarmer.com
By Jeff DeYoung, Iowa Farmer Today
April 11, 2007 2:49 PM CDT
The proposed approval of a new cattle vaccine could turn into a political football, says a Kansas veterinarian.
Cefquinome, an antibiotic manufactured by Intervet, did not receive approval this past fall from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee. However, the FDA is still considering approving the drug for use in cattle.
“FDA cannot refuse the product if the company meets all the requirements set forth for approval, and Intervet has done that,” says Larry Hollis, Extension beef veterinarian at Kansas State University. “The only way approval can be denied is if it’s stopped politically.”
Intervet says Cefquinome is the “active ingredient of various Cobactan formulations, which are licensed in Europe for the treatment of respiratory disease, mastitis, septicemia and foot rot in cattle and/or swine.”
These fourth-generation cephalosporins have been used in Europe for treating veterinary and human infectious diseases. Intervet says there have been no problems. However, several U.S. organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA), are opposed to the approval of Cefquinome because of human health concerns.
“The AMA is concerned by data that have accumulated on the use of a third-generation cephalosporin in food animals,” said Michael Maves, CEO and executive vice president of the AMA in a letter mailed to the FDA committee this past fall.
“The only third-generation cephalosporin approved for use in these animals in the United States is ceftiofur, which is widely used in cattle, chickens, and turkeys, in part because there is no withdrawal time. With the unrestricted use of ceftiofur, data from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) indicate that ceftriaxone-resistant Salmonella and E. coli have emerged and spread in the United States. Ceftriaxone is commonly used for the treatment of severe infections, and the spread of resistance to this agent is therefore of clinical concern. Given the current outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in this country, this increase in resistance is particularly troubling.”
Hollis says there are other antibiotics on the market that can do the same things as Cefquinome.
“Do we need the product? My contention is we don’t,” he says.
But, Hollis is concerned about possible ramifications if the drug is not approved.
“Do we want to give politicians the chance to block it? If we do, then you can kiss the money all these companies are putting into research goodbye,” he says. “They aren’t going to be willing to take the chance.”
Hollis says if beef is properly prepared, there is little chance of picking up any form of resistant bacteria.
“Intervet is following the letter of the law here,” he says. “I would hate to see this become a political issue.”
iowafarmer.com