CRD

Agenda Item 4 Final - 25 October 2001

JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME

CODEX COMMITTEE ON RESIDUES OF VETERINARY DRUGS IN FOODS

Thirteenth Session

Charleston, South Carolina, USA - 4-7 December 2001

THE CODEX PROCESS - PORCINE SOMATOTROPIN AT STEP 6

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH (IFAH) COMMENTS

IFAH has the following comments which specifically address the advancement of draft MRLs for porcine somatotropin:

• IFAH supports the fact that JECFA evaluations and findings are based on sound science and are independent in nature. With the increasing pressures being placed on Codex delegations because of the international trade implications of Codex decisions, the scientific content of the JECFA committee meetings is often subjugated by predetermined positions. This makes the independent scientific nature of JECFA findings even more important.
• It is perceived that it has become common in the Codex Committee meetings, for some parties, to block the progress of certain products that do not fit their philosophy on animal production and welfare. IFAH wishes to highlight that the setting of Codex MRL standards does not necessarily mean that a product has to be used or registered globally. Individual countries still have the option to regulate the use of a product internally if it does not fit their methods of animal production. For those countries where the use of a product does fit their animal production systems, IFAH believes that they should not be penalized by the lack of an official MRL when the product has been evaluated by JECFA and they have concluded that the product has minimal human safety concerns. IFAH is concerned that the situation for porcine somatotropin is especially troubling in that JECFA reported a "large margin of safety for consumption of residues in food" and that the presence of drug residues "does not present a health concern". If porcine somatotropin, which does not represent any health concerns and may confer health and other benefits from leaner pork fails to progress at the next CCRVDF meeting, then Codex will not achieve its role of setting food safety standards that protect consumer health and do not unnecessarily hinder trade in animal products.

During the twelfth session of CCRVDF in March 2000, the proposed draft MRL’s for porcine somatotropin were advanced to step 5 with the understanding that their further advancement was subject to the outcome of discussion on "other legitimate factors" by the Codex Committee on General Principles. It is our understanding that the outcome of this discussion did not preclude the use of porcine somatotropin under the definition of Good Veterinary Practice. As the conditions of advancement have been satisfied, IFAH’s opinion is that there should be no further delay in the setting of official MRLs for porcine somatotropin.