Tom Burkgren, executive director of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, has submitted a letter to the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regarding the shortage of injectable iron dextran for the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency in baby pigs.

CVM has acknowledged it understands the medical necessity of the iron source and that a shortage could result in undue animal suffering and disruption in the swine industry.

In the interim, CVM has agreed to permit Bimeda Inc. of Lehigh, IA, temporary importation and distribution rights of an injectable 200 mg/ml iron dextran product into the United States from Bimeda MTC Animal Health Inc. of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada through the end of May 2008, or until an adequate, U.S.-manufactured supply is available.

CVM is committed to working with veterinarians to supply animal drugs for legitimate medical needs and will evaluate requests from other manufacturers of injectable iron dextran products.