California Governor Jerry Brown (D) has signed legislation (S.B. 27) that prohibits administration of a “medically important antimicrobial drug to livestock solely for purposes of promoting weight gain or improving feed efficiency” as of January 1, 2018. Under the statute, antibiotics may be used only when ordered by a licensed veterinarian through a prescription or veterinary feed directive. “The science is clear that the overuse of antibiotics in livestock has contributed to the spread of antibiotic resistance and the undermining of decades of life-saving advances in medicine,” Brown said. See Signing Message of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., October 10, 2015.
Category Archives Issue 581
Three federal agencies are convening an October 30, 2015, public meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland, to discuss a July 2015 memorandum issued by the Executive Office of the President (EOP) directing the agencies to clarify their roles in the oversight of biotechnology products, develop long-term regulatory strategies and commission an independent study of the biotech landscape. The EOP memo defines biotechnology products as those “developed through genetic engineering or the targeted or in vitro manipulation of genetic information of organisms, including plants, animals, and microbes.” The meeting will include presentations by representatives of the Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about each agency’s current approach to biotech product regulation. Information about registration, oral presentations and viewing the meeting via live webcast is available on FDA’s website. See Federal Register, October 16, 2015. Issue 581
The National Toxicology Program’s (NTP’s) Office of the Report on Carcinogens and Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) are requesting information about six substances, including fluoride (CASRN 7681-49-4), nominated for possible review and inclusion in future editions of the Report on Carcinogens (RoC). More specifically, NTP seeks (i) data about the compound’s current production, use patterns and human exposure; (ii) exposure studies evaluating adverse health outcomes, e.g., cancer, reproductive or immunological disorders; (iii) scientific issues relevant to prioritizing adverse health outcomes; and (iv) names of scientists with proven expertise about the chemical. OHAT is also interested in obtaining material about non-cancer health outcomes related to fluoride exposure, e.g., developmental neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption. Information submissions must be received by November 6, 2015. See Federal Register, October 7, 2015. Issue 581
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