Animal drugs for limited uses, minor species

FDA Consumer, Nov-Dec, 2004

An animal drug measure signed into law in August 2004 will help make more medications legally available to veterinarians and animal owners to treat minor animal species. The new law also will encourage the availability of treatments for uncommon diseases in the major animal species.

The major animal species are cattle, horses, swine, chickens, turkeys, dogs, and cats. Minor species are all other animals, including zoo animals, ornamental fish, parrots, ferrets, and guinea pigs. Some animals of agricultural importance, such as sheep, goats, catfish, and honeybees, are also classified as minor species.

The new law is expected to benefit people who own small or unusual pets, such as guinea pigs or ornamental fish, and to help zoo veterinarians treat their animals. Before this legislation, pharmaceutical companies could rarely afford to bring to market drugs for novel pets and zoo animals because the markets were too small to generate an adequate financial return. The new law modifies provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide some flexibility in getting limited-use drugs to market.

"This is an excellent law that will help veterinarians better serve zoo animals, endangered species, and many other minor species," says Linda Tollefson, D.V.M., deputy director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine.

The official name of the law is "The Minor rise and Minor Species Animal Health Act of 2004." Minor use drugs are drugs for use in major species that are needed for diseases that have a limited geographic range or affect a small number of animals.