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| Report of the U.S. Delegate, 17th Session, Codex Committee on Residues
of Veterinary Drugs In Foods |
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The 17th Session
of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF)
was held September 3-7, 2007, in Breckenridge, Colorado. This session
was attended by delegates from 46 Member countries, 1 Member organization,
and Observers from 7 international organizations. This session was
very productive and successful as many documents and MRLs
were advanced. Many ad hoc electronic Working Groups were formed as well.
At the 16th session, the Committee requested information on registered uses of Flumequine with the
understanding that if such information was not received, work on the MRLs for Flumequine in shrimp would
be discontinued. As the Committee did not receive information regarding the registered use of Flumequine,
they agreed to discontinue work on these MRLs.
The Committee could not reach consensus on the advancement of the MRLs for Melengestrol Acetate (MGA). The
Committee agreed to retain the draft MRLs for MGA in cattle's tissue at Step 7 with the understanding that
the European Community will provide new data for a reevaluation of MGA by JECFA.
If JECFA reaffirms its decision, the Committee agreed that the MRLs for MGA will be advanced to Step 8 at the next session.
The Committee agreed to advance the draft MRLs for Colistin in cattle, sheep, goat, pig, chicken, turkey and
rabbit's tissues, in cattle and sheep's milk and in chicken's eggs to Step 8.
The Committee agreed to advance the draft MRLs for ractopamine in cattle and pig tissues to Step 8, while
acknowledging the strong reservation of the Delegations of the European Community, Switzerland, and Norway.
While many delegations supported the advancement of MRLs for Ractopamine to Step 8, the delegation of the European
Community stated that they could not, in view of the fact that their legislation did not allow the use of beta-agonists
for growth promotion. The Committee noted that the justification for not supporting the advancement of the MRLs to
Step 8 was not based on scientific arguments,
The Committee agreed to advance the proposed draft MRLs for Erythromycin in chicken and turkey tissues to Step 5/8.
The Committee agreed to place Triclabendazole on the Priority List for Re-evaluation by JECFA, and in doing so, to
return the proposed draft MRLs for triclabendazole in cattle, sheep, and goat tissues to Step 2. The Committee also
agreed to consider the MRLs recommended by the next JECFA meeting at its 18th Session.
The Committee agreed to use the comments submitted by the delegations of the United States and the European Community
as a starting point for an in session working group to revise the draft Guidelines for the Design and Implementation of
National Regulatory Food Safety Assurance Programmes Associated with the Use of Veterinary Drugs in Food Producing Animals
for consideration by the plenary. The in session working group was successful in revising the Draft Guidelines.
After consideration of the revised draft Guidelines, the Committee agreed to circulate the document at Step 6 with a
view to further consider the document at its 18th Session and forward it to the Commission for final adoption. The
Committee agreed that this will provide countries with an opportunity to consider the revision in detail, analyze
the specific provisions, and evaluate the implications for their implementation.
The Committee agreed to establish an ad hoc electronic Working Group to prepare a discussion paper to
address the future of the Compendium of Methods that had been maintained by the physical Working Group on Methods
of Analysis for Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods, the link between analytical methods of advancing the
Codex MRLs to Step 8, and the criteria necessary for analytical methods to be assessed and considered acceptable.
The Committee agreed that they would not reestablish the Physical Working Group before its 18th Session.
The Committee agreed to forward the Priority List of Veterinary Drugs for Evaluation or Reevaluation by JECFA
to the 31st Session of the Commission. This list included: Dexamethasone (Canada), Tylosin (Germany, IFAH),
Avilamycin (Brazil, IFAH), Malachite Green (Germany), Tilmicosin (United States), Monensin (United States, IFAH),
Narasin (United States, IFAH), Triclabendazole (Australia), and Melengestrol acetate (European Community).
Malachite Green was included on the Priority List requesting JECFA to consider a literature review and advise the
Committee if this substance can be supported for use in food producing animals as the available data were probably
not sufficient to derive an ADI and MRLs.
The Committee also agreed to establish an ad hoc electronic Working Group to prepare a Priority List of
Veterinary Drugs for Evaluation or Re-evaluation by JECFA and a working document listing veterinary drugs of potential
interest, based on Annex 1 to document CX/RVDF 07/17/12.
The Committee considered the six recommendations that were provided by the report of the Working Group on Residues
of Veterinary Drugs without ADI/MRL (CX/RVDF 07/17/12). The Committee agreed to postpone discussion on Recommendation A:
Complete List of Evaluations/Decisions Made Publicly Available, until its next session. On Recommendation B: Specific
Veterinary Drugs, the Committee agreed to establish an ad hoc electronic Working Group to develop risk management
recommendations for veterinary drugs with no ADI and/or MRLs due to specific health concerns, pending formal approval by
the Commission. The Committee noted that the Delegations of Australia, New Zealand, and the United States opposed the
proposal for new work as proposed by the European Community due to a lack of clarity of the objectives, parameters, and
the likely form of this final product and how it could be used. The Committee agreed with and endorsed Recommendations C
through F with some amendments and noted that the JECFA secretariat stated that the expert group from Recommendation C
would not be possible with their current resource constraints.
The Committee agreed to establish an ad hoc electronic Working Group on Risk Management Options and Topics to
prepare a discussion paper that would make appropriate risk management recommendations on various issues to the Committee
for further consideration and action. The electronic Working Group would also collate new proposals with relevant
background information and appropriate recommendations to the Committee.
The United States Delegation would like to gratefully acknowledge
the U.S. Codex Office staff's outstanding work in organizing the meeting
and providing support during it as well. The U.S. Delegate would also
like to thank the entire United States Delegation for their hard work
and preparation before and during the 17th Session that made this
meeting very successful for the United States. The 18th Session is
tentatively scheduled to be held in 2009. |
Last Modified:
September 27, 2007 |
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