Animal Health and Human Safety

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Canadians enjoy an abundant and varied food supply that includes products such as milk, meat, fish, eggs, honey, and other foods derived from animals. Food producers use a variety of veterinary drugs to maintain animal health and combat disease.

Canadians can have confidence in the health of these animals, and the safety of our food supply, thanks in part to the work of Health Canada.

Safe veterinary drugs

Within the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) of Health Canada, the Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) conducts a comprehensive scientific analysis and review of each veterinary drug before it is approved for sale in Canada. VDD uses internationally recognized procedures to determine the safety of these drugs for animals.

VDD also establishes the safe level and dosage of veterinary drugs and establishes maximum residue limits (the amount of residue that may safely remain in the edible tissue of an animal that will pose no threat to humans, even if ingested daily over a lifetime). VDD's primary concern is for the safety of the humans who consume food products derived from animals treated with these drugs.

VDD shares responsibility for food safety with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). CFIA monitors food products to ensure that residue limits are respected. If public safety is deemed to be at serious risk, the food product may be recalled.

Post-market surveillance

Once a veterinary drug has been authorized for sale on the Canadian market, VDD monitors the drug product and tracks any adverse drug reactions that may occur. If concerns about a particular drug or food product arise, the public, producers, veterinarians and distributors are notified through advisories and warnings.

Partners in safety at home and abroad

VDD believes that the health of Canadians is a shared responsibility. To this end, VDD works closely with various partners. These include the provinces and territories, consumers, drug manufacturers, feed mill operators, food producers, veterinary professionals, academia and environmental and animal welfare groups. This cooperation ensures VDD processes are fully transparent and provides opportunities for stakeholders to provide valuable input into decision-making and policy development.

Since food markets and health concerns are global in scope, VDD also collaborates with other governments, scientists, and partners around the world to achieve common international goals, such as combatting antimicrobial resistance and harmonizing data requirements for drug submissions.

Balanced approach

As for all of Health Canada, human health is VDD's primary goal. Healthy, productive animals are an important part of Canada's food supply. Through VDD, HPFB gives Canadians confidence in the safety of our food supply by evaluating and monitoring the safety and effectiveness of veterinary drugs that are authorized for sale in Canada.

Health Canada
Health Products and Food Branch
250 Lanark Avenue
Graham Spry Building
Address Locator: 2005A
Ottawa ON K1A 0K9
Telephone: 613-957-1806
Facsimile: 613-954-3957
Email: hpfb-dgpsa@hc-sc.gc.ca
Web site: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/hpfb

Veterinary Drugs Directorate
Holland Cross Complex
Ground Floor
14 - 11 Holland Avenue
Postal Locator 3000A
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9
Telephone: 613-954-5687
Facsimile: 613-957-3861
Email: vetdrugs-medsvet@hc-sc.gc.ca
Web site: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/vetdrugs