FARAD: How we respond to withdrawal inquiries

Abstract

The Food Animal Residue Avoidance and Depletion (FARAD) program is a USDA-funded, national food safety and residueavoidance program housed at 5 universities. FARAD performs a broad array of functions centered on the collection, evaluation, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of information related to the depletion of drugs and other chemicals in food animals. A key service offered by FARAD is the provision of advice on appropriate withdrawal intervals (WDI) following extralabel drug (ELDU) administration to food animals by veterinarians, in compliance with the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA). Professional FARAD staff at 3 call centers respond to WDI requests, where they utilize a comprehensive databank of pharmacokinetic data together with tools ranging from simple to complex models for the accurate estimation of safe WDIs. In complex cases, such as those involving large numbers of animals or mathematical modeling, a FARAD directors/advisory group reviews the WDI advice. In some circumstances, such as ELDU specifically prohibited by FDA, FARAD is unable to provide a WDI. However, in all cases, FARAD strives to provide  veterinarians with scientifically sound, current residue avoidance advice following ELDU or chemical exposure
of food animals, within the provisions of the AMDUCA regulations.