Overview of Anti-Inflammatory Medications in Swine

Anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs) are commonly used in human and veterinary medicine to treat signs of inflammation such as fever and pain.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting products.1 As part of this role, the FDA has an approval process for products that meet specific safety and efficacy standards.2 FDA-approved animal products are labeled for a specific species, dose, route, duration, and indication.

For food animal species, it is legal to use drugs that are approved for use (labeled) in that species by the FDA, or in an extra-label manner if the drug is approved for use in animals or humans by the FDA and meets the criteria listed in the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA).3

The extra-label use of unapproved drug products in food-producing species is prohibited, as stated in the “Dear Veterinarian” letter published by the FDA in October 2024.4

FDA-Approved Anti-Inflammatory Medications for Swine

The swine industry is limited in the number and route of anti-inflammatory medications available, with only two FDA-approved labeled anti-inflammatory products for swine:

  • Isoflupredone acetate injectable suspension (NADA 011-789) is a corticosteroid labeled for use in swine for musculoskeletal conditions, allergic reactions, overwhelming infections with severe toxicity, shock, and other indications.5
  • Injectable flunixin meglumine (NADA 101-479) is the only FDA-approved NSAID for use in swine, labeled for the treatment of pyrexia (fever) associated with swine respiratory disease.6

There are currently no FDA-approved drugs labeled for pain control in swine. Other anti-inflammatory medications may be used in an extra-label manner if they fall under the specific conditions described in the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA).3

Implications for Swine Health and Welfare

There may be animal welfare implications associated with the limited availability of anti-inflammatory drugs, as swine veterinarians and producers have few options to control inflammation, pyrexia and pain in pigs.

Current approved anti-inflammatory products in swine are injectable only, and there are no approved products that are administered orally. Because injectable products must be individually administered, they may be less practical for large-scale use during disease outbreaks, potentially limiting access to anti-inflammatory support for some animals that could benefit from it.

There are no anti-inflammatory medications that are FDA-approved and labeled for swine that can be administered orally. Other drug classes (e.g., antimicrobials) have FDA-approved products that can be orally administered. Oral medications can be used as individual or group treatments and have an added benefit of no risk of broken needles or injection site reactions.7

The judicious use of all medications is crucial for animal health and welfare. The swine industry has limited options for anti-inflammatory medications, either through FDA approval for use in swine or extra-label use under AMDUCA.

References

More information regarding anti-inflammatory medications and extra-label drug use can be found at the resources below:

  1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Mission.
  2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. About FDA Product Approval.
  3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA).
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dear Veterinarian Letter regarding use of aspirin products in lactating dairy cattle.
  5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine | FDA Approved Animal Drug Products. Isoflupredone Acetate Application Approval.
  6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine | FDA Approved Animal Drug Products. Flunixin Meglumine Application Approval.
  7. National Pork Board. Pork Quality Assurance® Plus Education Handbook. 2022. Specific content cited from p. 18.