Many Livestock Antibiotics Now Require Prescription

Many prescription (Rx) antibiotic products used in food animal veterinary medicine have been under veterinary oversight. In January 2017, several over the counter (OTC) products were shifted from OTC to veterinary feed directive (VFD) status. In 2023, remaining OTC “medically important” antibiotics will transition to prescription status. These products will no longer be able to be sold as OTC products and will only be available with a veterinary prescription and will need to be purchased from a veterinarian or a pharmacy.

New Antibiotic Factsheet: OTC to Rx AS-Y-6-23