Pfizer and Dominion Veterinary Laboratories suspending sales of veterinary drugs containing roxarsone

Information Note

We would like to inform you that in collaboration with Health Canada, Pfizer Canada and Dominion Veterinary Laboratories are voluntarily suspending sales in Canada of two veterinary drugs (3-Nitro-20 and Super Nitro-12) containing roxarsone as of August 8, 2011.

This follows  similar action taken by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to a recent scientific study that detected inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, at higher levels in the livers of chickens treated with these drugs compared with untreated chickens.

Health Canada has reviewed the FDA study and agrees with the conclusion that the detected levels of inorganic arsenic are very low and that there is no immediate risk to public health from consuming chicken treated with these drugs. This is a precautionary measure to remove any avoidable exposure to very low levels of inorganic arsenic in chickens treated with roxarsone.

Health Canada continues to monitor the safety of drug products while they are on the market and assesses new safety information as it becomes available in order to maintain the safety of Canada's food supply.

For further information, please contact the Veterinary Drugs Directorate at:

Holland Cross Complex
Ground Floor
14 - 11 Holland Avenue
Postal Locator 3000A
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9

E-mail: vetdrugs-medsvet@hc-sc.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-954-5687
Facsimile: 613-957-3861
Teletypewriter: 1-800-267-1245 (Health Canada)