Animal health / veterinary regulation
Livestock owners get two emergency drugs for screwworm
One product covers cattle, horses and several birds and zoo animals. The other covers cattle, swine, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys and related mammals, after HHS said the parasite posed a significant emergency risk.
The Food and Drug Administration issued two emergency-use authorizations for animal products aimed at preventing and treating New World screwworm infestations. FDA said both come with conditions and were issued after HHS determined the pest could threaten public health and security.
- Two animal drugs now have emergency-use authorization against New World screwworm.
- One covers cattle, horses and several bird and zoo species.
- The other covers cattle, swine, goats, sheep, horses and donkeys.
- FDA said the products can be used only under emergency-use conditions.
- The action follows an HHS emergency-potential determination from Aug. 18, 2025.
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.