FDA, gearing up for the implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), recently "issued a letter reminding retail establishments that sell medically important antimicrobials for use in feed or water for food animals that the marketing status of those products will change from over-the-counter (OTC) to prescription (Rx) or to veterinary feed directive (VFD) at the end of calendar year 2016."
As reported in the Daily Herald, those servicing livestock producers in Utah have also been trying to spread the word:
"Local veterinarians, feed suppliers and livestock producers gathered in Lehi on Thursday to learn how the federal feed directive, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, will affect their operations.
The meeting is just one of a series of meetings being held across the state to make sure livestock producers aren't taken by surprise when the new directive takes effect. It is expected to affect almost everyone who raises animals for human consumption — from 4-Hers to turkey farmers to bee keepers."
The VFD sets forth "the process for authorizing use of VFD drugs and provides a framework for veterinarians to authorize the use of medically important antimicrobials in feed when needed for specific animal health purposes" as reported by Lydia Zuraw on JUNE 3, 2015 at Food Safety News.
FDA announced that the final rule is:
"an important piece of the agency's overall strategy to promote the judicious use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals. This strategy will bring the use of these drugs under veterinary supervision so that they are used only when necessary for assuring animal health."
Notably, as previously discussed here, the rule memorializes the concept that veterinarian may only prescribe antibiotics to animals "within the context of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), which includes sufficient knowledge of the animal, visits to the farm, and follow-up evaluation or care."
While many states include that requirement in state veterinary medical practice acts, not all states include a definition of or specifications for the "veterinarian-client-patient relationship." (See table of state laws compiled by AVMA).
The VFD will require veterinarians to follow state-defined VCPR requirements as long as the state requirements include the key elements in the final VFD.
"the veterinarian engage with the client (i.e., animal producer or caretaker) to assume responsibility for making clinical judgments about patient (i.e., animal) health, have sufficient knowledge of the animal by conducting examinations and/or visits to the facility where the animal is managed, and provide for any necessary follow-up evaluation or care."
However, "where the FDA determines that no applicable or appropriate state VCPR requirements exist, veterinarians will need to issue VFDs in compliance with federally defined VCPR requirements."
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