FDA guidance provides recommendations to evaluate metabolism and residue kinetics of veterinary drugs in food-producing aquatic species.

August 16, 2019

2 Min Read
FDA issues marker residue study guidance for aquatic species
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The U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced Aug. 16 the availability of final Guidance for Industry (GFI) #257, “Studies to Evaluate the Metabolism & Residue Kinetics of Veterinary Drugs in Food-Producing Species: Marker Residue Depletion Studies to Establish Product Withdrawal Periods in Aquatic Species.”

FDA said this guidance document provides recommendations on what should be included in a marker residue depletion study design for aquatic food-producing species.

A marker residue depletion study is one of the studies recommended to provide human food safety information about the quantity and nature of residues in tissues derived from aquatic species treated with veterinary drugs, FDA explained. Specifically, the agency said a marker residue depletion study provides data that can be used to demonstrate that the depletion of the marker residue post-treatment is below the tolerance (the level of drug residue that may remain in an animal’s tissue and still be safe to eat) and that can be used to calculate a withdrawal period (the time that must be observed after an animal is last administered a drug before it can be slaughtered for food).

The guidance has been developed for veterinary use by the International Cooperation on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH). Established in 1996, VICH is a trilateral program aimed at harmonizing technical requirements for veterinary products in the European Union, Japan and the U.S. and includes input from both regulatory and industry representatives.

This VICH guidance document is intended to provide study design recommendations that will facilitate the universal acceptance of the generated residue depletion data to fulfill the national/regional requirements in all VICH regions, FDA said.

FDA published the notice of availability for the draft version of GFI #257 in the Federal Register on July 24, 2018, and requested public comments on the draft guidance. The public comment period closed on Sept. 24, 2018, and FDA did not receive comments on the draft guidance. However, comments received by other VICH member regulatory agencies were considered as the guidance was finalized, the agency said.

Source: Food & Drug Administration, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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