(MY) human drugs in animals

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Drugs for humans found in animals - New Straits Times

15 Mar 2007

Annie Freeda Cruez

 

KUALA LUMPUR: What are drugs used to treat asthma, infections of the

urinary tract and bacterial conjunctivitis doing in animals in

Malaysia?

 

Believe it or not, farm operators are using them to enhance the growth

of animals meant for your dining table.

 

These irresponsible breeders seem to have ignored the fact that

excessive doses of drugs like Salbutamol or Ventolin, Nitrofuran and

Chloramphenicol can be dangerous to humans.

 

Salbutamol can increase blood pressure and induce a rapid heartbeat,

while Nitrofuran may cause cancer.

 

Chloramphenicol can affect lung and heart functions.

 

At the heart of the problem is the absence of a drug registry for

veterinary medicines, especially beta-agonists which enhance the

growth of animals. This means one can import any drug for use on

animals, regardless of their adverse effect on humans.

 

Veterinary Association of Malaysia vice-president Dr S. Vellayan, who

has been campaigning for a drug register for years, is disappointed

that nothing has been done about this despite a proposal to the

government a decade ago.

 

" Until today, there is no drug registry and veterinarians are free to

use any drug available in the market on sick animals. Veterinary drugs

can also be easily imported by anyone. "

 

Dr Vellayan said the registry should include all drugs for animals

including fish, reptiles, birds and zoo animals.

 

It should also include supplements, vitamins and growth promoters

included in animal feed.

 

" When there is a registry, there will be procedures and regulations.

Veterinarians and farm operators caught giving other than the

regulated drugs can be taken to task. "

 

Dr Vellayan said many animal farm operators only sought the services

of a veterinarian when animals were sick and not to regulate farm

operations.

 

" It's important that farm operators abide by the law and produce safe

and wholesome livestock meat and products for human consumption.

 

" Animal breeders need to be educated on the use of medications in

animal husbandry and alternative therapy and food safety. "

 

He said reports on the misuse of beta-agonist in enhancing animal

growth and the production of leaner meat carcass had been of concern

to the association since 1990s when the drug was banned.

 

 

 

Recently, it was reported that pigs were not the only farm animals

being fed banned growth boosters.

 

Beef, mutton and duck meat have also been found to contain

beta-agonist in tests conducted by the Universiti Sains Malaysia

Doping Control Centre. Random tests by the DCC confirm that cattle,

goats and poultry have been fed with Salbutamol.

 

DCC science officer Mohd Azman Ibrahim said that about two per cent of

over 100 samples received monthly by the laboratory had traces of

Salbutamol.

 

 

 

Health Ministry's pharmaceutical services division director Datuk Mohd

Zin Che Awang said a registry for veterinary medicine may be set up by

the end of the year.

 

He stressed that once the registry comes into force, all drugs for

animals would be regulated.