The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the leadership of Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate together with Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. signed a Memorandum of Agreement between the DA- Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and Department of Health (DOH) – FDA at the Apacible Hall, Department of Agriculture Main Office, Quezon City.

Under Republic Act No. 9711 otherwise known as “The Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009”, the FDA is mandated to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of health products such as, but not limited to vaccines and biologicals for human or animal use.

In order to fight and help diminish the emerging animal diseases affecting the livestock and poultry industries, the Department of Health and Food and Drug Administration (DOH-FDA), and the Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) have come together to collaborate on evaluations pertaining to animal vaccines and biologicals by signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in order to streamline the regulations on the process of the approval of applications for animal vaccines and biologicals.

In this MOA, the FDA is tasked to issue License to Operate (LTO) to manufacturers, traders, distributors, and retailers of veterinary drugs and products, ensuring stringent safety standards and its availability to the public. On the other hand, the BAI, headed by Concurrent OIC Director Constante J. Palabrica, DVM, is tasked to conduct evaluations on the applications and provide the FDA with evaluation reports to finally determine the safety and efficacy of both local and imported vaccines.

In today’s momentous signing, FDA Director General Zacate, conveyed his full support and gratitude for this MOA Signing between the key agencies. This collaboration between the two agencies is a testament to the renewed commitment of the government to strengthen its presence in securing public health and safety.

While Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the MOA’s significance in protecting farmers’ livelihoods and bolstering the economy, underscoring the DA’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of veterinary products.