Avoparcin

Avoparcin is a gram-positive glycopeptide antibiotic used in livestock feed for growth promotion in broiler chickens, growing pigs, calves and beef cattle. Avoparcin is also used as an aid in the prevention of necrotic enteritis in poultry.

There are currently no registered products containing avoparcin in Australia.

Avoparcin review

In 1998 the APVMA (formerly the NRA) began a review of avoparcin. This followed concerns that the continued use of avoparcin in food-producing animals may lead to acquired bacterial resistance development in the gut of the animals and pose a possible threat to human health by being a contributing factor to the emergence of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE).

The review focused on the areas of resistance development in animals, the mechanism and potential for transfer of resistance across species, residues (to the extent that avoparcin residues in meat might contribute to resistance development) and efficacy (as a possible guide to resistance development in animals).

The registrants did not renew the registration of their products after 30 June 2000 and voluntarily withdrew avoparcin from the market.

The APVMA completed the assessment of the residues data but did not continue with the review as it was not likely to be completed before the withdrawal of avoparcin products from the market. The conclusions of the residues assessment can be found in the APVMA’s Avoparcin Status document.

In 2006 the APVMA withdrew the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for avoparcin.

The APVMA will reactivate the review of avoparcin if the registrations of any products containing avoparcin are renewed. Any applicant interested in registering products containing avoparcin must provide data in accordance with the APVMA’s Manual of Requirements and Guidelines (MORAG). Applicants must also provide a risk analysis of microbial resistance safety as outlined in the Guidelines for Registering Vet Chemicals, Part 10, Special Data Requirements.

For more information please contact the Chemical Review Program on (02) 6210 4749 or by email to chemrev@apvma.gov.au.

APVMA avoparcin archive

Title	Date
Gazette Notice: Deletion of MRL ( PDF - 68KB)	Oct 2006
Avoparcin status document ( PDF - 104KB)	Jan 2001
Gazette Notice: List of non-renewed registrations ( PDF - 77KB)	Sep 2000
Gazette*	Jun 1998

Product search

Search the PUBCRIS database for registered products that contain avoparcin.
Note: In the Active Constituent 1 field enter avoparcin.

* Contact the APVMA for copies of this document.