Ask FDA to approve implants for chickens to prevent egg production

[arosenzweig]

Do you have a chicken under your wing who is having difficulties due to egg production? Perhaps a prolapsed vent? Don't want a relapse? Don't care that she makes eggs or not so long as she is happy and healthy? There's a drug for that, but it's illegal in the USA to use for chickens, let's change that!

The drug "Deslorelin" is a hormonal implant that is injected under the skin which prevents a chicken from laying eggs for 4 months. Problem is, this is illegal to do in the USA unless the FDA approves it.

Unfortunately the drug is only approved for Ferrets. Everyone knows how well it works for chickens but it is banned. Why? The trepidation of officially endorsing treatment stems from pre-conceived notions of what is a companion animal and what is food. The FDA wants to clearly designate chickens as a food resource. Officially they fear what might happen if the implant is no longer used and people start to eat the eggs.

It's hard to know what the withdrawal time would be to safely eat eggs from a chicken that had the implant without some of the drug ending up in the eggs a human would eat. But for a pet chicken owner, they would know better than to eat the eggs and often would rather not have any eggs to eat. We would rather have our feathered friends live long happy healthy lives free from the pressures of egg laying.

Doctors should be allowed to administer medication which is known to work without worry of legal repercussions. Animal caregivers should be allowed to use techniques to enrich the lives of animals. Doctors should not turn patients away from life saving techniques due to arbitrary laws.

Please sign this petition to let the FDA know you care about the quality of life for hens:
https://chng.it/FHzLwJ9Jq2

You can read more about Deslorelin here: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/deslorelin

After watching one too many chickens die from egg laying complications, I created a video titled “Why chickens are special”

Thank you

 

[casportpony]

The drug "Deslorelin" is a hormonal implant that is injected under the skin which prevents a chicken from laying eggs for 4 months. Problem is, this is illegal to do in the USA unless the FDA approves it.

Where does it say that it's illegal?

 

[arosenzweig]

Where does it say that it's illegal?

A simple human readable reference is here: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/deslorelin

In that link it says only ferrets and female horses are FDA approved.

Here you can see that it it is only approved for ferrets by reading the box label, the title, and the fine print: https://www.fda.gov/media/83933/download

However, in 2010 the FDA amended the rules to also allow legal use in mares. A "mare" is a female horse: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/12/28/2010-32554/new-animal-drugs-deslorelin

Anything else, including chickens, is "off label" and not approved. Off-label (extra-label) use is prohibited. That means it is illegal.

Some doctors have a kind heart and are willing to break the law but many won't and why should they have to?

 

[casportpony]

Anything else, including chickens, is "off label" and not approved. Off-label (extra-label) use is prohibited. That means it is illegal.

Where does it say that off-label use is prohibited?

 

[casportpony]

You might want to read this:
https://www.avma.org/extralabel-drug-use-and-amduca-faq

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I am all for this!!! I have a hen that was laying multiple eggs a day and now lays one or sometimes two a day and at some point in her life she probably have reproductive issues and at that point it may be dangerous for her to lay eggs and all my chickens are pets and I would want her to live a happy life no matter if I get eggs from her or not.

 

[casportpony]

I am all for this!!! I have a hen that was laying multiple eggs a day and now lays one or sometimes two a day and at some point in her life she probably have reproductive issues and at that point it may be dangerous for her to lay eggs and all my chickens are pets and I would want her to live a happy life no matter if I get eggs from her or not.

Vets are already doing this. If you have a hen that might benefit from an implant, your vet can give her one.

 

[NatJ]

Where does it say that off-label use is prohibited?

In two of the links OP provided:

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/deslorelin
"In the U.S., deslorelin is only FDA approved for use in mares and ferrets, and ‘off label’ or ‘extra-label’ use is prohibited at this time."

https://www.fda.gov/media/83933/download
On the second and third pages, the pictures of the box show it saying:
"FOR USE IN FERRETS ONLY. Extra-label use is prohibited."

I don't know whether they are correct or not, but they certainly do say it.

 

[casportpony]

In two of the links OP provided:

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/deslorelin
"In the U.S., deslorelin is only FDA approved for use in mares and ferrets, and ‘off label’ or ‘extra-label’ use is prohibited at this time."

https://www.fda.gov/media/83933/download
On the second and third pages, the pictures of the box show it saying:
"FOR USE IN FERRETS ONLY. Extra-label use is prohibited."

I don't know whether they are correct or not, but they certainly do say it.

This site does not have it listed as one of the drugs that cannot be used extra-label (off-label):
https://www.avma.org/extralabel-drug-use-and-amduca-faq

 

[arosenzweig]

While AMDUCA is nice, it's a big gray area.

In particular: "Keep in mind that AMDUCA does not give veterinarians "carte blanche" for extralabel use of medications"

The following additional conditions must be met for ELDU in food-producing animals:

• Such use must be accomplished in accordance with an appropriate medical rationale; and
• If scientific information on the human food safety aspect of the use of the drug in food producing animals is not available, the veterinarian must take appropriate measures to assure that the animal and its food products will not enter the human food supply.

So, if you have a hen that has prolapsed a doctor "might" prescribe this drug but they may also say they cannot because they cannot ensure that the animal won't enter the human food supply.

Also, why should you have to wait for prolapse or other conditions? What if you'd rather a hen to live a long life free of complications without eggs? Much like people spay dogs early. Why not? Right now, it's illegal to do so.

Some doctors will prescribe for already very ill chickens, others refuse. Most won't prescribe for a young chicken that you'd like to remain a lap chicken for as long as possible.

We know this drug works on chickens and should not be off-label. That's the point. Why have extra hoops?