In opening remarks at the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) taking place in Portland, Oregon, United States of America from 13 to 17 February 2023, Chairperson Brandi Robinson said “CCRVDF serves a very important role by providing a transparent forum where we can develop science-based standards which will meet Members’ needs, protect consumers, and ensure fair trade practices in the food trade.”

The value veterinary drugs play to the health and wellbeing of animals and a safe and abundant food supply should encourage the committee to continue to develop risk management approaches which address residues of the compounds which Members need most, she added.

“Our common challenge,” said Markus Lipp, FAO, “is to always find the right way and the common ground between reconfirming our basic tenets to maintain the institutional strength of Codex that comes from the reliability and predictability of its rules and processes. And at the same time, Codex needs to react to new developments, to changing needs and priorities, to evolve in order to meet the needs of tomorrow.”

Moez Sanaa, WHO, said the use of veterinary drugs to maintain the health of food producing animals was an essential component of the current food production system, but could be a source of concern for public health and fair practices in food trade. “We are all committed to ensuring that food produced is safe for consumption and that the consumer is protected from harmful levels of residues,” by applying the principle of risk analysis guided by the best available science.

“The elaboration and adoption of numerical standards such as maximum residue limits for veterinary drugs and other texts remains the core function of Codex,” said Vice-chairperson Allana Azegele, Kenya ahead of a week of discussion in Portland that will include work on extrapolation of MRLs that could pave the way for recommendations for veterinary drug residues in a broader number of species, and an approach for addressing residues due to unavoidable carryover of drug in feed.

The Committee will also continue to discuss ways to align work with the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues where there are overlapping issues and compounds which can be used as both drugs and pesticides.

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CCRVDF26 meeting page

Photo credit ©FAO/Giuseppe Di Chiera

Top table at CCRVDF26 (left to right): Allan Azegele, Gracia Brisco (Codex Secretariat), Brandi Robinson, Amy Hall (Chair’s Assistant), Markus Lipp, Moez Sanaa, Vittorio Fattori and Soren Madsen (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA))