ABSTRACT
The European Union (EU) prohibits the use in
stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal
or thyrostatic action and of beta-agonists (1). In
particular, the member states must prohibit (a) the
administering to a farm or aquaculture animal, by any
means whatsoever, of substances having a thyrostatic,
estrogenic, androgenic, or gestagenic action, and of
beta-agonists; (b) the holding, except under official
control, of animals referred to in (a) on a farm, the
placing on the market or slaughter for human
consumption of farm animals that contain the sub-
stances referred to in (a), or in which the presence of
such substances has been established, unless proof can
be given that the animals in question have been treated
for the exceptional cases, mentioned later; (c) the
placing on the market for human consumption of
aquaculture animals to which substances referred to in
(a) have been administered and of processed products
derived from such animals; (d) the placing on the
market of meat of the animals referred to in (b); and
(e) the processing of the meat referred to in (d). For therapeutic purposes and under the control of a
responsible veterinarian, the administration to farm
animals of 17-estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone and derivatives that readily yield the parent
compound on hydrolysis after absorption at the site
of application may be authorized by the individual EU
member states. Also, for therapeutic purposes, the
administration of authorized veterinary medicinal
products containing (a) allyl trenbolone, administered
orally, or beta-agonists to equidae and pets, provided
that they are used in accordance with the manufac-
turer’s instructions, and (b) beta-agonists, in the form
of an injection to induce tocolysis in cows when calving
may be authorized. Again, these veterinary medicinal
products must be administered by a veterinarian under
his direct responsibility. Certain zootechnical treatments constitute the
second exception to the general prohibition of medic-
inal products having an estrogenic, androgenic, or
gestagenic action. In particular, EU member states
may allow the synchronization of estrus and the
preparation of donors and recipients for the implanta-
tion of embryos. With regard to aquaculture animals,
young fish may be treated for the first 3 months, for
the purpose of sex inversion, with veterinary medicinal
products that have an androgenic action. It is quite obvious that a sound analytical metho-
dology is indispensable for the monitoring of the
compliance with the Directive 96/22/EC. Until August
30, 2002, the organization of the monitoring was laid
down by Council Directive 96/23/EC on measures to
monitor certain substances and residues thereof in live animals and animal products (2).
