FDA Authorizes Generic Ivermectin as Emergency Screwworm Shield for Cattle
The Feb. 5, 2026 order let regulators bypass a full efficacy review as the parasite closed in on US herds.
- Ivomec (ivermectin) is sold over the counter, no veterinary prescription required, under the new authorization.
- Cattle qualify for treatment within 24 hours of birth, at castration, or upon a fresh wound.
- Screwworm larvae reached Nuevo Leon, Mexico, just 70 miles from Texas, by September 2025.
Why it matters: Emergency clearance for a decades-old generic means the border and sterile-fly barriers already failed to hold the line.