How CFIA is contributing to the responsible use of medically important antimicrobials in animals
The responsible use of antimicrobials is essential to protecting the health and safety of people, our food, animals and plants, here in Canada and around the world. Antimicrobial resistance is a complex and evolving public health issue, involving many stakeholders in Canada and internationally.
The Government of Canada has a federal framework and action plan on antimicrobial resistance that outline concrete steps being taken by seven federal departments and agencies in the areas of surveillance, stewardship, infection prevention and control and innovation.
Health Canada has made regulatory and policy changes related to the responsible use of antimicrobials in animals. The CFIA is also making related changes that will affect the feed industry in Canada in two key ways. We are:
- updating the Compendium of Medicating Ingredient Brochures (CMIB) and publishing a new CMIB April 1, 2018
- working with Health Canada on a shared compliance and enforcement approach to confirm that feed facilities meet the new prescription requirements that come into force December 1, 2018
Updates to the Compendium of Medicating Ingredient Brochures (CMIB)
The Compendium of Medicating Ingredient Brochures (CMIB) is being updated in three key ways:
- removing growth promotion claims for medically-important antimicrobial drugs
- moving the following medications to the prescription drug list (PDL) so they require a prescription from a veterinarian instead of being sold over the counter. These medications are:
- bacitracin, lincomycin, neomycin, penicillin G, spectinomycin, sulphonamides, tetracycline-chlortetracycline-oxy tetracycline, tilmicosin, tiamulin, tylosin-tylvalosin, virginiamycin, or their salts or derivatives
- adding five medications to the CMIB so that, as of April 1, 2018, they only require a veterinary prescription before being sold. (Previously, they were approved for use in livestock feeds and listed on the PDL, and therefore required a veterinary prescription before being manufactured.) These medications are:
- avilamycin, emamectin benzoate, florfenicol, ormetoprim, trimethoprim
The format of the CMIB has also been improved.
- Four indexes have been added to search by active ingredient, brand name, species and company name.
- One of these new indexes also includes drug identification numbers (DIN).
- The medicating ingredient brochure (MIB) numbers have been eliminated and replaced with codes that are similar to those used in CFIA sampling programs.
Additional information regarding the transition plan for the implementation of the updated CMIB is available. This information is also available on the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada's website – PDF (1,250 kb).
How CFIA and Health Canada's shared compliance and enforcement approach will work
Health Canada will require feed facilities to have a veterinary prescription before selling some medicated feeds that currently can be sold without a prescription. Because CFIA inspection staff are regularly in feed facilities, they will document what they observe for Health Canada. The transition plan for the implementation of the updated CMIB includes indications of when such observations will be documented and provided to Health Canada.
For more information
The CFIA and the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada have developed a pamphlet, Medically Important Antimicrobials and the CMIB, that highlights the changes that affect the feed industry.
Learn how the CFIA is contributing to the responsible use of medically important antimicrobials in animals.
Contact your local CFIA office for more information or if you have questions.
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