USA - Broiler chicken industry does not use banned drugs

The U.S. chicken industry does not use the drugs recently banned by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration from usage in poultry, according to a statement from the National Chicken Council. The FDA on March 20 proposed a final rule to prohibit the extralabel use in poultry of two classes of approved human antiviral drugs in treating influenza. Specifically, the FDA rule prohibits the extralabel use by veterinarians an anti-influenza adamatane (amantadine and rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitor (oseltamivir and zanamivir) drugs in chickens, turkeys and ducks. Extralabel use is the actual use or intended use of a drug in an animal in a manner that is not in accordance with the approved labeling. FDA said the action was taken as a preventive measure to protect the public health and as in preparation for a possible influenza pandemic from the H5N1 strain of AI, commonly called bird flu. However, NCC said the U.S. chicken industry does not use the drugs banned from usage in poultry by the Food and Drug Administration. "The industry simply does not use Tamiflu (a human anti-flu drug) and similar drugs in birds," said NCC Communications Director Richard Lobb. "These are human health products not used in animals." Lobb said the industry is relying on its vigorous program of testing and active surveillance, in conjunction with state and federal governments, to find and stamp out any incursions of the hazardous types of avian influenza into broiler chicken flocks. Under the industry program, each flock of a participating company is tested for avian influenza while it is still on the farm. Any flock that shows signs of H5 or H7 avian influenza -- not just the H5N1 strain -- will be destroyed and will not enter the food chain in any way. "So far our testing program has not found any problems," Lobb said. "If any problems are found, the industry and government will respond promptly and forcefully. No infected birds will go to market."