Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 12/22/15


The Food and Drug Administration announced it has withdrawn approval of all applications for use of nitarsone in animal feed is withdrawn as of Dec. 31, 2015. Following this action, there are no FDA-approved, arsenic-based drugs for use in food producing animals.

Earlier this year, the FDA received a letter of commitment from Zoetis Animal Health that, by the fall of 2015, the company would suspend sale of Histostat (nitarsone) and formally request that the FDA withdraw the approval for the drug by the end of 2015.  Nitarsone is approved for the prevention of blackhead disease (histomoniasis) in turkeys and chickens, but was predominantly used in turkeys.

Arsenic is in the environment as a naturally occurring substance or as a contaminant and is found in water, air, soil, and food. Published scientific reports have indicated that organic arsenic, the less toxic form of arsenic present in the arsenic-based animal drugs, could transform into inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen.

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