Veterinary Drugs Directorate

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The Veterinary Drugs Directorate is the Canadian body responsible for putting all "veterinary products, such antimicrobials, growth promotion drugs and feed additives, through a rigorous approval process before they are licensed and sold for use" in Canada. [1] It is part of the Health Products and Food Branch of Health Canada, and exists by virtue of the Food and Drugs Act . Its goal is "to protect human and animal health and the safety of Canada's food supply." [2]

Contents

History

AMR

The WHO has defined Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as "the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to other [people]." [3]

In 2011, Manisha Mehrotra, at the time director of the human safety division within the Directorate, spoke passionately about the need to crack down on the use of antibiotics such as cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones in the Canadian meat industry because of the risk of creating antibiotic resistant strains of viruses. [4]

On 1 December 2018, "all medically important antimicrobials currently available over the counter for veterinary use, including those used in companion and food animals and in all dosage forms", were moved to prescription status. Antimicrobials are no longer to be used for growth promotion in Canada from this date. [5]

Leadership

The Director-General from 2005 to 2007 was Siddika Mithani, who was once the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, [6] and is now the President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. [7]

The Directorate has been led since at least June 2017 by Dr. Mary-Jane Ireland. [8]

Related Research Articles

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An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention of such infections. They may either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. A limited number of antibiotics also possess antiprotozoal activity. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses such as the ones which cause the common cold or influenza; drugs which inhibit growth of viruses are termed antiviral drugs or antivirals rather than antibiotics. They are also not effective against fungi; drugs which inhibit growth of fungi are called antifungal drugs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antimicrobial resistance</span> Resistance of microbes to drugs directed against them

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes evolve mechanisms that protect them from the effects of antimicrobials. All classes of microbes can evolve resistance to the point that one or more drugs used to fight them are no longer effective. Fungi evolve antifungal resistance, viruses evolve antiviral resistance, protozoa evolve antiprotozoal resistance, and bacteria evolve antibiotic resistance. Together all of these come under the umbrella of antimicrobial resistance.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minister of Health (Canada)</span> Minister in the Cabinet of Canada

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Multiple drug resistance (MDR), multidrug resistance or multiresistance is antimicrobial resistance shown by a species of microorganism to at least one antimicrobial drug in three or more antimicrobial categories. Antimicrobial categories are classifications of antimicrobial agents based on their mode of action and specific to target organisms. The MDR types most threatening to public health are MDR bacteria that resist multiple antibiotics; other types include MDR viruses, parasites.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antibiotic misuse</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Drug Availability Act 1996</span> US law

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tilmicosin</span> Chemical compound

Tilmicosin is a macrolide antibiotic. It is distributed under the brand name Micotil. It is used in veterinary medicine for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease and enzootic pneumonia caused by Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica in sheep. In humans, Tilmicosin causes fatal cardiotoxic effects at amounts greater than 1 milliliter when injected, something most commonly seen in veterinary personnel and farmers. Tilmicosin, like most macrolides, is a Calcium channel blocker. However, because Micotil is formulated for animals like cows, it has exceptionally more potent Ca channel blocking effects in humans with a dose of .5 mL causing significant poisoning and a dose of 5-6 ml being lethal.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Health Model</span> Concept of interaction between all components of the global ecosystem determining its health

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Jane Philpott is a physician, academic administrator, and former Canadian politician who represented the riding of Markham—Stouffville in the House of Commons. She was first elected in the 2015 federal election as a member of the Liberal Party and was appointed to the Cabinet of the 29th Canadian Ministry, headed by Justin Trudeau, on November 4, 2015. On March 4, 2019, she resigned from her cabinet position as President of the Treasury Board over the SNC-Lavalin affair. On April 2, 2019, she and Jody Wilson-Raybould were expelled from the Liberal caucus in the aftermath of the controversy.

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Antibiotic use in the United States poultry farming industry is the controversial prophylactic use of antibiotics in the country's poultry farming industry. It differs from the common practice in Europe, where antibiotics for growth promotion were disallowed in the 1950s.

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References

  1. ↑ "Canada's Veterinary Drug Approval Process". bcrc.ca. Beef Cattle Research Council. 21 November 2013.
  2. ↑ "Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD)". canada.ca. Health Canada. 2019-07-04.
  3. ↑ "Antimicrobial resistance". who.int. WHO.
  4. ↑ "Crackdown on factory farm drug use urged" (PDF). CMAJ. 25 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "Health Canada encourages establishment of veterinary client relationships". dairyproducer.ca. Farmscape. 5 November 2018.
  6. ↑ "Siddika Mithani". pm.gc.ca. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Prime Minister announces a change in the senior ranks of the Public Service". pm.gc.ca. JUSTIN TRUDEAU, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA. February 25, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Dr. Mary-Jane Ireland (Director General, Veterinary Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Department of Health) at the Health Committee". opengovernment.ca. 13 June 2017.


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