Virginiamycin for Equine Use to be Banned in U.K.

Virginiamycin is the active ingredient in a veterinary medicine used to prevent laminitis in horses.
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The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) of Great Britain’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs announced July 10 that it will be phasing out the importation of the antibiotic drug virginiamycin for veterinary use. Importation of virginiamycin will be phased out over the next two years and will be banned completely from Sept. 30, 2014.

Virginiamycin is the active ingredient in Founderguard, a veterinary medicine used to prevent laminitis in horses; Founderguard is unauthorized in the United Kingdom but currently ca be imported from Australia by a veterinary surgeon under the VMD’s Special Treatment Certificate Scheme.

Virginiamycin is a streptogramin defined by the World Health Organization as a class of antibiotics critically important in human medicines. The VMD has decided to phase out the use of Founderguard as there is no robust evidence to suggest that the continued use of virginiamycin will not pose a risk in terms of antimicrobial resistance developing.

There is no robust evidence that Founderguard prevents laminitis. This condition can be managed though animal husbandry and pasture management

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