. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/CAN/126
12 February 2002
(02-0683)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English/
French
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  CANADA
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Health
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Veterinary drugs (ICS: 11.220)
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Proposed Amendment to the Food
and Drug Regulations (1227 - Prohibition of  Certain Veterinary Drugs) (pages 300-307)
5. Description of content:  Under the Food and Drug Regulation s, all veterinary drugs must
be approved by Health Canada prior to their sale for administration to prevent and treat
diseases as well as to promote growth in animals, including animals used for the production
of food.  During this approval process, scientists at Health Canada review the toxicity datasubmitted by manufacturers and assess the risks and benefits resulting from the use of the
drug.
As new information becomes available on the safety of a veterinary drug, Health Canada
reviews the information and proposes appropriate changes to the Regulations, if necessary.
Scientific data have raised concerns about the safety of residues found in food products
from animals treated with the 5-nitroimidazole class of veterinary drugs. Accordingly,
Health Canada proposes to amend the Regulations to establish prohibitions against the salefor administration of this class of veterinary drugs in food-producing animals, the sale of
treated animals for food use and the sale of food products derived from treated animals.  In
addition, Health Canada proposes amendments to clarify and extend the current regulatory
prohibitions on the sale of diethylstilbestrol or other stilbenes for administration to food-
producing animals.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  x ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Canada Gazette,
Part 1, 2 February 2002 (Available in English and French)G/SPS/N/CAN/126
Page 2
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Not stated.
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  Not stated.
11. Final date for comments:  4 March 2002
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Text also available on the internet at:  http://canada.gc.ca/gazette/part1/pdf/g1-13605.pdf