Which agency within USDA licenses animal vaccines and which agency looks for vaccine reactions at slaughter?

• A. Licenses: FDA; Reactions: APHIS
• B. Licenses: APHIS; Reactions: FSIS
• C. Licenses: FSIS; Reactions: APHIS
• D. Licenses: CDC; Reactions: FSIS

Answer: (B)

In USDA regulatory work, different offices handle different pieces of the vaccine and meat-safety puzzle. Licensing animal vaccines is done by APHIS, specifically the Center for Veterinary Biologics, which evaluates and licenses veterinary vaccines and other biologics to ensure they’re safe, pure, potent, and effective for use in animals. The task of looking for vaccine reactions at slaughter falls to FSIS, the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which conducts meat inspections and monitors for signs of adverse reactions or lesions in animals at slaughter to protect the safety of the food supply. So APHIS licenses the vaccines, while FSIS handles detection of any vaccine-related issues during slaughter.