Livestock owners get two emergency drugs for screwworm

Animal owners facing New World screwworm now have a faster federal route to treatment. The Food and Drug Administration issued two Emergency Use Authorizations, or EUAs, for new animal products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The authorizations cover prevention and treatment of infestations caused by New World screwworm larvae, a parasitic fly that can cause myiasis, the tissue-eating infestation that makes the pest so destructive in livestock and other animals.

The authorizations took effect on April 24, 2026, and April 27, 2026. FDA said the emergency-use orders come with conditions, rather than functioning like ordinary approvals.

Two products, two sets of animals

One authorization was requested by Health and Hygiene (Pty) Ltd. It covers cattle, horses, minor species of hoof stock, raptors, other wild birds, pet birds, and captive wild, exotic and zoo mammals.

The second was requested by Elanco US Inc. It covers cattle, swine, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, domestic hybrid equids, and captive wild, exotic and zoo mammals. Together, the two products give veterinarians more than one option depending on the species in front of them.

Why the emergency lane exists

FDA said the authorizations follow an August 18, 2025 determination by the Department of Health and Human Services that there is a significant potential for a public health emergency involving New World screwworm. That determination was the basis for declaring that emergency use of animal drugs could be authorized to treat or prevent the parasite in animals.

For producers, breeders and zoo operators, the practical value is speed. New World screwworm can spread fast and cause serious losses, so access to an authorized product can matter before a full approval process would be complete. FDA is publishing the authorizations now, including the reasons for issuance, as part of the emergency-use framework.