WASHINGTON, DC — As a dangerous livestock parasite creeps closer to the U.S. border, federal health officials have cleared the way for emergency drugs to be used on animals in a high-stakes move to protect the nation’s food supply. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a declaration Monday enabling the FDA to authorize unapproved or foreign drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by the New World Screwworm—a flesh-eating pest that targets warm-blooded animals and poses an escalating threat to agriculture.
The New World Screwworm, previously eradicated from North and Central America, has been advancing northward since 2022 and is now approaching the U.S.-Mexico border. While the risk to humans is considered low, the parasite can cause severe tissue damage and even death in livestock, pets, and wildlife, with far-reaching implications for the U.S. food chain and national security.
“Today we are taking decisive action to safeguard the nation’s food supply from this emerging threat,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., noting the urgency of equipping veterinarians and farmers with the necessary tools to act fast.
No FDA-approved treatments currently exist for New World Screwworm in the U.S., but the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) will now allow the agency to fast-track drugs not specifically approved for this parasite, including products from abroad or those approved for other uses.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins described the screwworm as a “national security priority” and emphasized that the emergency measure is part of a coordinated federal push to halt its spread before it reaches U.S. livestock herds.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H., said the agency is moving quickly to provide options that minimize risk to both agriculture and public health.
The EUA applies strictly to animal drugs and does not affect human medical treatments. However, officials underscored that early intervention is crucial to stopping the parasite before it becomes a broader crisis impacting the nation’s food economy.
Key Points
- HHS has authorized the FDA to issue Emergency Use Authorizations for animal drugs to combat New World Screwworm
- The parasite has been advancing north since 2022 and now threatens livestock near the U.S.-Mexico border
- No current FDA-approved drugs exist for this parasite in the U.S., prompting fast-track use of alternative treatments
A flesh-eating parasite is creeping toward U.S. soil, and federal agencies are racing to stop it in its tracks.
