DA, DOH allow 6-month extension of veterinary products registration

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture and Department of Health have extended by six months the validity of a joint administrative order (JAO) allowing the Bureau of Animal Industry to register veterinary medicine and products.

“To ensure unhampered delivery of services, the JAO is re-adopted for a period of six months, which will serve as a transition period for the transfer of regulation of veterinary drugs and products, veterinary biological products and establishments to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration),” the new order said.

“Upon lapse of the period, the FDA shall immediately assume such functions without need of further orders or issuances,” it said.

Animal health industry stakeholders led by the Philippine Veterinary Drug Association (PVDA) lauded the move as it would help ensure food security amid the spread of African swine fever  and the bird flu.

They are hoping that Health Secretary Francisco Duque and Agriculture Secretary William Dar will approve their request for the extension of the JAO for a longer period of five years, if not issue a permanent policy of placing the registration of these products under the BAI.

PVDA noted that the FDA already has its hands full because of the pandemic and the BAI is in a better position to continue registering veterinary medicine and products.

“Under BAI’s operational system, veterinary drug regulation and related services have always been efficiently delivered to its stakeholders through the years,” PVDA said.

“BAI has continued to improve its expertise, technology and knowledge of the latest information on animal health, animal production and animal welfare thus making it the best trained institution to render judgment on what is good for animal production through the use of veterinary drugs and products,” the group said.

It has established a network of well-trained regional and provincial feed and drug control officers all over the country, giving it an expansive monitoring system.

The group has also put up a network of accredited third party laboratories for testing, monitoring and evaluation purposes.

PVDA noted that under Domingo and with the full support of Dar, the veterinary drug industry expanded by leaps and bounds and its services towards food safety, animal welfare and food security in the poultry and livestock as well as the pet and wildlife industries have been maximized.