Indian vultures no more a prey to diclofenac 

Vultures in India can now feed on carrions without the fear of kidney failure and death.

7 June 2006
DELHI, INDIA

The government of India finally took a decision to ban the use of the culprit drug diclofenac to treat animals, succumbing to a long-hauled demand from animal activists and environmental protection groups.

The population of Indian vultures has been in steady decline over past years. Use of diclofenac for veterinary purposes has been implicated in the dwindling vulture species as traces of the anti-inflammatory drug found in the carcasses of cattle posed a threat against the scavenging birds.

The population of three vulture species namely slender billed, white backed and long billed vultures has declined by about 97 per cent in the Indian sub-continent in the last ten years. Studies revealed that the veterinary formulation of the drug diclofenac is the major cause for this sharp decline, according to Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

The need to ban the drug was raised by the Environment Ministry which prompted 
the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh deciding to call for a meeting of all ministries concerned to discuss about a ban on the veterinary use of the Rs 200 million non steroidal anti inflammatory (NSAID) drug.

Following this, the pharmaceutical regulatory body has directed the state drug controllers to cancel the manufacturing licenses issued for diclofenac formulations for veterinary use and to ensure the marketing of such formulations are phased out within a period of three months. 

"Serious concern has been expressed at different fora over the decline in vultures population in the Indian subcontinent. Extensive studies have indicated that the use of diclofenac in various livestock's is the major cause for vultures decline. Vultures are exposed diclofenac when they consume carcasses of livestocks treated with diclofenac before death. This results the poisoning of vultures leading to their death because of renal failure. It has therefore been felt that the veterinary use of diclofenac should be phased out and alternate and safer drug like meloxicam should be permitted to be used for the treatment of animals in veterinary healthcare. This would help in saving the vulture population and ecological balance in animal world," noted the Drug Controller Genaearl of India (DCGI). 

The DCGI also noted that the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Agriculture, has also issued directions to state veterinary departments not to purchase diclofenac for veterinary use.