HHS Allows FDA Emergency Use of Animal Drugs to Combat New World Screwworm, Protect U.S. Food Supply

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today issued a declaration that allows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by the New World Screwworm (NWS). This declaration applies only to drugs for animals.NWS infests warm-blooded animals, including livestock, pets, wildlife, and, in rare cases, humans, causing severe tissue damage and sometimes death. The risk to human health in the United States remains very low, but the potential future threat to animal populations and the food supply chain requires proactive action. Although eradicated from North America and Central Amer...