January 2025 - Journal Final - Flipbook - Page 17
Products
WHAT HAPPENED TO ASPIRIN?
Dr. Cameron Schmitt
Executive Vice President
Pipestone Veterinary Services
The Stuart, Iowa, native is a second-generation large animal veterinarian
and earned his DVM and MS from Iowa State University. He joined
Pipestone in 2002 and now practices and leads the vet team as the
Executive Vice President of Veterinary Services.
In October 2024, veterinarians across the country
received the following letter from the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA):
Dear Veterinarian:
be
arians and dairy farmers may
ation understands that veterin
istr
min
no
Ad
are
g
re
Dru
the
t
and
tha
d
ify
Foo
.
The U.S
and wants to clar
pyrexia and pain with aspirin
for
dtle
foo
cat
in
ry
gs
dai
g
dru
d
atin
ove
lact
treating
use of unappr
use in cattle. The extra-label
for
ts
duc
pro
irin
asp
d
ove
FDA-appr
.
producing species is prohibited
t are safe,
pain in lactating dairy cattle tha
and
a
exi
pyr
ling
trol
con
for
ts
ducts
FDA-approved animal produc
There are FDA-approved pro
meat withdrawal periods. All
and
k
mil
d
ishe
abl
est
e
hav
effective, and
el:
following statements on the lab
are required to carry one of the
e animal drugs), or
DA # XXX-XXX” (for brand nam
“Approved by FDA under NA
animal drugs).
ADA # XXX-XXX” (for generic
“Approved by FDA under AN
), veterinarians may
n Act (also known as AMDUCA
atio
ri昀椀c
Cla
Use
g
Dru
l
ina
dic
speci昀椀c conditions.
Under the Animal Me
food-producing species under
in
g
dru
l
ma
ani
or
an
hum
d
marketed. Although
use an FDA-approve
duct (Vazalore) that is currently
pro
irin
asp
an
hum
d
ove
ppr
raph, that monograph
There is one FDA-a
er an over-the-counter monog
und
ted
rke
ma
are
ts
duc
pro
abel manner. Given
other human aspirin
ts cannot be used in an extra-l
duc
pro
se
the
re,
refo
the
,
and
an product, the FDA
is not an approval
nt amount of the approved hum
昀椀cie
suf
a
h
wit
tle
cat
ing
dos
oved aspirin products
the impracticality of
may instead be using unappr
ers
farm
ry
dai
and
ns
aria
erin
ducts in food-producing
understands that vet
l use of unapproved drug pro
abe
ra-l
ext
The
.
ted
rke
ma
that are not legally
species is prohibited.
What Does This Mean?
Due to this new classi昀椀cation, it and aspirin derivatives
cannot be used in food producing animals.
The back story to this is previously, aspirin and the
salicylates were considered low risk of problems
contaminating the US food supply. As Highly
Pathogenic Avian In昀氀uenza (HPAI) spread rapidly
through the US dairy herd in spring and summer 2024,
traces of aspirin were showing up in the milk supply.
Due to this, the FDA no longer considered aspirin and
other derivatives “low risk” and now consider them to
fall under their purview and law called AMDUCA.
This will require manufacturers to 昀椀le for a NADA –
this process generally is not fast – likely ~2-3 years
with animal trials to study the elimination of the
compounds from various tissues from meat producing
animals. The cost associated with acquiring an NADA
is likely between $500,000 and $1,000,000. It remains
to be seen whether a manufacturer will spend those
resources to bring these products back to market.
If they do, the cost will likely increase due to the
additional costs absorbed to acquire a valid NADA.
Options for producers are quite limited. Injectible
anti-in昀氀ammatories such as Flunixin meglumine
and dexamethasone are still readily available. Mass
treatment options – something to put in the medicator
– is limited to a prescription product called Meloxicam.
This product does work quite well as an antipyretic, but
is more costly than aspirin. Work with your veterinarian
to understand dose, withdrawal, and cost.
WINTER 2025 | 17
