Federal regulators on June 11 announced they’ve granted emergency authorization for a screwworm drug for dogs and cats, the latest in a series of actions officials have taken since the flesh-eating pest entered the United States for the first time in years.
The Food and Drug Administration authorized, on an emergency basis, generic nitenpyram for treating New World screwworm infestations in dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens that weigh at least two pounds and are older than three weeks of age. The drug is made by Felix Pharmaceuticals.
The authorization “puts an affordable, fast-acting treatment in the hands of pet owners, strengthens our containment strategy, and helps stop this destructive parasite from spreading further in the United States,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr said in a statement….