The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new guidance on navigating the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD).
The FDA’s “Guidance for Industry (GFI) #120: Veterinary Feed Directive Regulation Questions and Answers” was developed to assist stakeholders in complying with the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Final Rule, which was initially issued in 2015.
Those stakeholders include veterinarians, VFD feed distributors (medicated feed mills, feed retailers), and clients (owners or other caretakers of animals).
FDA officials said that, compared to draft guidance issued in 2019, the “GFI #120” document better aligns with existing industry practices and clarifies flexibilities to reduce the burden on veterinarians, producers, and distributors.
The updates were made based on public-comment feedback regarding the 2019 document, along with input from stakeholders during VFD inspections. GFI #120 includes a detailed question-and-answer section, along with hypothetical scenarios to illustrate stakeholder responsibilities under the VFD in a more tangible way.
Additionally, the new document includes language from a 2020 technical amendment to the VFD, as well as updated contact information and links to online resources.
According to FDA VFD inspection data, 95% of inspected stakeholders are operating in compliance with the VFD. The FDA issued GFI #120 with the hope that the information will “further enhance stakeholder understanding of VFD requirements, in turn improving antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings.”
