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Veterinarian urges producers to establish VCPR ahead of next FDA-issued guidance

A veterinarian is urging livestock producers to take steps now to maintain access to several medically important antibiotics. The FDA-issued Guidance for Industry #263 goes into effect June 11, and will require prescriptions for several therapeutics that were previously available over the counter.

Dr. Ron Tessman a technical consultant with Elanco says producers need to establish their veterinarian-client-patient-relationship (VCPR). “An effort to try and make sure that we are using antibiotics judiciously,” he says.  “And really, in my opinion, it’s a way for us to preserve our ability to use these antibiotics in these species where we need them.”

He tells Brownfield this latest guidance will help preserve the efficacy of antibiotics. “Making sure that that we’re using the right antibiotic for the right disease and the right animal at the right dose at the right time,” he says. 

Tessman says this isn’t a new concept for producers.  The FDA finalized its veterinary feed directive on October 1, 2015, and expanded on it in March 2019.  The FDA’s VFD changed how medically important antibiotics were used for food-producing animals, transitioning the use of such drugs for production purposes to therapeutic use under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian to preserve the efficacy of the drugs.

AUDIO: Dr. Ron Tessman, Elanco