Ottawa Orders Investigation into Drugs for Livestock:
Experts Fear Animals' Meat May Contain Growth Hormones, Antibiotics, Carcinogens
By COLIN FREEZE
April 25, 2002
Citing public-health concerns, Health Canada has ordered an investigation into the way that drugs are given to livestock.
The fear is unsuspecting consumers could be ingesting harmful chemicals by eating meat from animals pumped full of drugs in unsanctioned and unhealthy ways.
There is little data on the scope of the problem in Canada, but experts suggest undetected drugs in meat could contain growth hormones, antibiotics and carcinogens that are being passed on to humans or released into the environment.
Among those who work with the animals, the issue is known as "extra-label use" because the chemicals are being employed in ways not recommended by drug manufacturers or drug regulators on the product labels.
"The extra-label use issue has been identified as a serious public-health and food-safety concern," Health Canada's Veterinary Drugs Directorate says in a request this month for a $300,000 study.
Understanding the issue is "considered to be a high priority for government authorities," the directorate adds.
Farmers, feedlot operators and veterinarians are among those Health Canada intends to survey.
The government is concerned about such things as excessive drug dosages, the combining of different types of incompatible medicines, and certain substances being given to animals that were never meant to take them -- pigs receiving drugs meant for cattle, for instance, or animals getting medicines meant for humans.
A number of serious problems could result from any of the above practices, especially if traces of dangerous drugs end up on kitchen tables. Misused antibiotics could lead to more virulent forms of bacteria, and countries worried about Canada's safeguards could erect trade barriers.
Saying they have a great track record on safety, government regulators say these concerns are merely hypothetical.
"Canadians should not be concerned about what they are eating," said Health Canada spokesman Ryan Baker. "Canada has one of the safest food supplies in the world, with many checks and balances in place."
In fact, farmers and ranchers point out it is very rare for Canadian meat to be found with unacceptably high traces of drugs.
Critics, however, counter that Canada's regulatory regimes are too lax and warning signals are being ignored.
Mike McBane of the Canadian Health Coalition, an activist group, complains that a rush to speed food production and increase profit has resulted in livestock being pumped full of antibiotics and other drugs in ways some scientists have linked to early puberty and cancer.
"It's a huge problem," he said.
Two years ago, a European Commission fact-finding team came to Canada on a 10-day mission. Its members left with a litany of complaints -- including the extra-label use of drugs.
The Europeans said they observed a "hormone-free" cattle lot where evidence indicated veterinary drugs for dogs and cats were being used. In another instance, they found the unapproved use of hormone drugs on veal calves.
Most worrisome to the team were hormone growth promoters (HGP) and a substance that has been linked to cancer called diethylstilbestrol (DES).
"There are inadequate restrictions on the extra-label use of veterinary drugs, especially as regards DES and HGPs," the European inspectors wrote. "Extra-label use of over-the-counter drugs by farmers and feedlot operators is permitted."
Canadian regulators had qualms with the European findings -- and in a rebuttal wrote that some assertions were factual errors. Still, Health Canada is now taking a closer look at the issue.
The winner of the Health Canada contract will be expected to do some sleuthing, and draw sources from the ranks of farmers, producers and breeders.
"These individuals could be very reluctant to provide any information on extra-label drug usage [that] may be detrimental to their reputation," the request-for-study proposal says, explaining that anonymous sources are permitted.
Not all extra-label use of drugs is regarded as dangerous. Sometimes, veterinarians say, they disregard manufacturers' recommendations for doses that are too low to work.
Dr. Diane McKelvey, a British Columbia veterinarian who has studied aspects of the issue for Health Canada, said: "I don't think the problem lies with veterinarians. The problem lies with unrestricted access that laypeople have to drugs, mainly coming from offshore, or raw chemicals used as drugs."
Cindy McCreath of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association said concerns about drugs in cattle are mostly unwarranted. "Understand that they do test for residue, and there is virtually a zero-per-cent result in beef," she said.