Sales halted after arsenic found in chicken drug

Sales of two drugs routinely fed to chickens for decades have been suspended in Canada after tests showed the birds contained small amounts of inorganic arsenic, a carcinogen.

Health Canada says there are no immediate risks to public health. But consumer advocates say the findings provide evidence that many of the drugs given to animals could be unsafe and that more action is needed to protect the public – particularly since similar drugs remain on the market.

The drugs, 3-Nitro-20 and Super Nitro-12, also known as roxarsone, and have been added to animal feed for years in order to combat parasites, as well as improve weight gain, feed efficiency and help give meat a pink colour. The drugs are sold by Alpharma Canada, a subsidiary of Pfizer, and Dominion Veterinary Laboratories.

The drugs contain organic arsenic, which is much less toxic than inorganic arsenic. As a result, it was believed animals given the drug would pose no danger to humans.

But mounting evidence in recent years suggests organic arsenic can change into inorganic arsenic, raising fears it could remain in the tissue and cause potential harm to humans. More