Fact Sheet: Medications and US Horsemeat
It is the united opinion of the Veterinarians for Equine Welfare (VEW) that it is beyond the scope of our profession to comment on the culinary practices of any person or country, however, consumer safety of meat produced in our country is very much a responsibility that veterinarians must carefully consider.
Horses, unlike traditional food animals in the United States, are not raised or medicated during their lifetime with the intent of one day becoming human food. Because no American horse is ever "intended" for the human food chain, often times horses throughout their lives will have received medications that are banned for use ever during the life of food animals. Click here for list of drugs prohibited for use in horses slaughtered for human consumption.
Additionally, medications which are FDA approved for use in traditional food animals come with very specific withdrawal schedules printed on the packaging, whereas, the very same medications, for example-- dewormers, when purchased for horses do not include the requisite food animal withdrawal schedule, but simply state "NOT FOR USE IN HORSES INTENDED FOR FOOD".
Unlike the United States, European Union and United Kingdom member countries have a distinct safety policy with regard to horses entering the food chain. All EU/UK horses must carry "equine passports" in which the animal is declared to be either "eligible for slaughter as human food ", or "not eligible for slaughter for human food".
Any EU or UK horse which has ever received a medication that is banned for use in food producing animals, is forever prohibited from entering the food chain. All food animal approved medications that are prescribed and administered to horses in the EU or UK have strict withdrawal schedules printed on the packaging and all such medications must also be recorded on the equine passport. The EU/UK system is designed specifically to ensure the health and safety of humans that consume horsemeat. Click here for EU Council Directive 2002/99/EC.
It is the strong position of VEW members that absent any formal regulation or structure by the United States with regard to medications and food safety withdrawal schedules for equines entering the food chain, horsemeat derived from any US horse can never be determined as safe for human consumption.
Furthermore, VEW member veterinarians strongly object to the AVMA and AAEP position in favor of horse slaughter for human consumption. For the AVMA and AAEP to condone the human consumption of meat derived from equines that have not been raised or medicated with food safety regulations having always been observed is, in our opinion, unethical and dangerous.
(updated February 2007)
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