FARAD's VetGRAM

Name: FARAD's VetGRAM
Author: University of Florida

University of Florida

DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:Clinicians & Healthcare Professionals

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App Summary

FARAD's VetGRAM provides veterinarians with an offline, searchable database of approved drugs, usage restrictions, and withdrawal times to manage residue avoidance in food-producing animals. The app is based on the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD), which uses statistical analysis and advanced pharmacokinetic modeling to estimate the depletion rates of drugs from animal tissues. The associated research concludes that these scientifically-derived withdrawal interval estimations are essential tools for mitigating illegal drug residues and ensuring the safety of the global food supply.

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Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by the University of Florida for the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) program, VetGRAM is a comprehensive, offline-accessible clinical reference tool. The interface facilitates customized searches for drugs approved in food-producing species, retrieving information on approved uses, government restrictions, and tolerances. A core module calculates the precise date that animals or their products can enter the food supply, based on FDA-mandated withdrawal intervals following administration at the approved label dose.

Evidence & Research Context

The underlying Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) integrates regulatory and pharmacologic information to mitigate drug and chemical residue risks in food animals.
The databank's scientific methodology leverages statistical analysis of published pharmacokinetic data to produce novel estimates for drug depletion rates in target species.
Associated research details the program's development of mechanistic, physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to refine withdrawal interval predictions, particularly for extralabel drug use.
The FARAD program, which supports the app's data, is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

Intended Use & Scope

VetGRAM is designed for licensed veterinarians and veterinary professionals managing pharmacotherapy in food-producing animals. Its primary utility is as a point-of-care reference to verify FDA-approved drug uses and ensure compliance with mandatory withdrawal intervals. The app does not provide recommendations for extralabel drug use; such cases necessitate direct consultation with FARAD.

Studies & Publications

2 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Development/Design Paper

Integration of Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) empirical methods for drug withdrawal interval determination with a mechanistic population-based interactive physiologically based pharmacokinetic (iPBPK) modeling platform: example for flunixin meglumine administration

Li et al. (2019) · Archives of Toxicology

Describes the research-driven development of this app

Violative chemical residues in animal-derived food products affect food safety globally and have impact on the trade of international agricultural products. The Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank program has been developing scientific tools to provide appropriate withdrawal interval (WDI) estimations after extralabel drug use in food animals for the past three decades. One of the tools is physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling, which is a mechanistic-based approach that can be used to predict tissue residues and WDIs. However, PBPK models are complicated and difficult to use by non-modelers. Therefore, a user-friendly PBPK modeling framework is needed to move this field forward. Flunixin was one of the top five violative drug residues identified in the United States from 2010 to 2016. The objective of this study was to establish a web-based user-friendly framework for the development of new PBPK models for drugs administered to food animals. Specifically, a new PBPK model for both cattle and swine after administration of flunixin meglumine was developed. Population analysis using Monte Carlo simulations was incorporated into the model to predict WDIs following extralabel administration of flunixin meglumine. The population PBPK model was converted to a web-based interactive PBPK (iPBPK) framework to facilitate its application. This iPBPK framework serves as a proof-of-concept for further improvements in the future and it can be applied to develop new models for other drugs in other food animal species, thereby facilitating the application of PBPK modeling in WDI estimation and food safety assessment.

Non-Evaluative Reference

Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD): An Automated Pharmacologic Databank for Drug and Chemical Residue Avoidance

Riviere et al. (1986) · Journal of Food Protection

Referenced in academic literature; no direct evaluation of the app

The Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) is a comprehensive computerized databank of regulatory and pharmacologic information useful for mitigation of drug and chemical residue problems in food-producing animals. For drugs, the databank contains information on proprietory products, labelled indications for use, and approved withdrawal and milk discard times. For drugs and chemicals, data are available on physiochemical properties of the chemical or generic drug, on tissue, egg and milk tolerances of these compounds, and on their pharmacokinetic behavior. This latter category is the most unique aspect of FARAD as it involves an extensive statistical analysis of published data, which results in estimates of the rates of depletion of these compounds in target animal species. These data have not been previously available. All data in FARAD are linked to specific sources which are listed in a citation file. Finally, resources produced as a result of USDA Residue Avoidance Program projects are listed in the database. Access to the databank is available at three regional access centers in California (916-752-7507), Illinois (217-333-3611) and Florida (904-392-4085), while the databank is maintained at a data analysis and support center in North Carolina. FARAD presently contains over 7,000 records with information on 250 compounds, and is supported by the USDA-Extension Service's Residue Avoidance Program.

In the Media

New app provides food animal drug data for veterinarians, producers

The University of Florida's Dr. Tom Vickroy developed Mobile VetGRAM to provide veterinary practitioners and producers quick access to food animal drug regulations and mandatory withdrawal times, serving as a mobile component of the broader FARAD program. Dr. Judd Sims, a UF veterinary intern, stated "Being a new vet and still not having dosages, routes of administration, frequencies and withdrawal times of all of our common food animal drugs committed to memory, I would love to have a resource like this so readily available to me." The app currently operates only on Android devices, though iOS development is under discussion.

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