Written by Rachel Martin
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has suspended several key anti-inflammatory drugs for food-producing animals that contain the inactive substance diethanolamine (DEA).
The suspension means that no product containing DEA and indicated for a food-producing animal may be released or placed on the market by the Marketing Authorisation Holder.
The affected drugs include Meflosyl, Flunixin, Finadyne, Dugnixon, Cronyxin Injection, Allevinix, Norixin, Pyroflam and Tribrissen.
However, no products are being recalled.
A Government notice stated further Flunixin product is now available to order. Wholesalers can accept further batches from the manufacturer provided it is accompanied by a “Caution-in-use” letter that will explain the restricted use of the product.
Any product containing DEA already on farms can still be administered to sick animals under direction from the vet.
Food-producing animals that have already been administered products containing DEA can still enter the food chain.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate judges the consumer safety risk to be very low and is not aware of any problems in animals associated with the use of products containing DEA.
The decision to suspend any products which contain DEA has been based on the advice of the scientific advisory committee to the European Medicines Agency.
The report stated that there may be a risk to humans from consuming food from animals treated with products containing DEA.
DEA is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug which is licenced for use in cattle, pigs and horses. In cattle and pigs, the products are used to treat the clinical signs of acute respiratory disease, often alongside other treatments to reduce the infection.
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