The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has requested strict control over the import and use of salbutamol to prevent the abuse of the drug in animal breeding.

The move was made following the Health Ministry’s decision to allow a resumption of salbutamol imports, which is often used to treat asthma and breathing problems, for use in the health sector from August 1.

Last year, responding to reports that salbutamol was likely to be used illegally to stimulate growth in animals, the health ministry’s Drug Management Administration banned the import of the substance.

Last December, the use of banned substances in animal breeding, such as salbutamol, was detected in three southern cities and provinces of HCM City, Dong Nai and Binh Duong and five northern cities and provinces of Hanoi, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong and Hung Yen.

Sixteen per cent of tested meat samples contained salbutamol, and 80 per cent of inspected animal feed producers used the banned substance.

The lifting of the ban applies to only drug producers that are registered to use the substance for medicine and hold valid certificates to import salbutamol. Businesses whose contracts to import the drug were approved before November 20 last year are not allowed to import it.

The MARD proposed the health ministry share information about salbutamol importers to jointly manage the substance.

It also proposed the health ministry apply special supervision over the import and use of salbutamol.

The Drug Management Administration said it licensed two businesses to import salbutamol who are allowed to import a maximum of 50kg of salbutamol each to produce medicine for hospitals.

Relevant agencies will supervise and examine the import and use of salbutamol by these two companies. 

VNS