Apibioxal

[drstitson]

It appears that the "closed shop" Italian veterinary association (FNOVI) isn't happy that apibioxal has been licensed with exemption from veterinary prescription/supervision:

http://www.fnovi.it/index.php?pagina=visualizza-notizia&ricerca=&tipo=1&id=1859&nextpage=&anno=

"API-BIOXAL does not meet the criteria for exemption from the veterinary prescription.
The FNOVI expresses its opposition to the possibility that the Ministry of Health authorizes the sale of the product-Bioxal Bees, based on oxalic acid, without veterinary prescription and outside pharmacies, as announced by the company and the Ministry itself known in the DGSA 0010539 - P-09/06/2011, addressed to UNAAPI and FAI.
The apparent reasons for opposition are found in Decree 31 October 2007, Implementation of Directive 2006/130/EC, implementing Directive 2001/82/EC laying down "the criteria for exemption from the veterinary prescription, in force for certain medicines for food producing animals. "
Drugs exempt from the veterinary prescription, to be declared as such, must meet all the criteria set out in Annex 8. Specifically, the veterinary medicinal product should not require any knowledge or special skills to use and does not present any direct or indirect risk to the animal or animals treated, the person who administers or the environment, even if administered properly.
The leaflet of API-Bioxal indicates a number of precautions must be taken by the person administering. The overdose is not harmless, but can lead to the depopulation of hives. Also, for the sublimation of the product is designed to use a specific device, whose functionality is not available to everyone. Administration errors can put at serious risk the safety of the operator (beekeeper and veterinary), bees and the environment.
By law, the product API BIOXAL does not meet the criteria for exemption and FNOVI insists that the dispensing of the prescription product is by non- repeatable prescription, in triplicate and sold through pharmacies."

 

[itma]

... FNOVI insists that the dispensing of the prescription product is by non- repeatable prescription, in triplicate and sold through pharmacies."

Its always reassuring to have national stereotypes reinforced.

 

[RoofTops]

Given that it just seems to be oxalic acid then I can see the problem - OA has not been officially tested and approved anywhere I think and given the stuff is readily obtainable for a variety of uses no manufacturer is going to spend the momey getting it approved.

What is interesting is there is a report of the use of this stuff (OA) in summer by artifically creating a broodless period. The findings seem promising (see enclosed) but even the authors say more work is needed and a 25 day gap in brood rearing is not something beekeepers, especially those in northern Europe, with a short summer, would appreciate. However, it is probably no different in that respect to queen trapping, but with a lot less effort.

Note the results of the trial show a significantly better result than APILife-Var which comes from the same manufacturer. After the OA treatment there were only a fifth of the number of mites present compared to the thymol treatment.

 

[drstitson]

"OA has not been officially tested and approved anywhere I think"

No - Italy HAS approved the Chemicals Laif product and AFAIK Ireland is following.

Re the brood block - yes it sounds a good idea to use in SUMMER (ie mid main flow). The problem is MOST italians seem to use it when we would be doing thymol based treatments (ie after harvest) - LATE SUMMER into AUTUMN. This means they are knocking back their winter bee production. Coupled with multiple doses of oxalic this is disastrous IMHO.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Coupled with multiple doses of oxalic this is disastrous IMHO.

Abstract

Oxalic acid field trails for the control of varroosis (Varroa destructor) were carried out in an apiary located on the Mt. Imittos (Attica, Greece). The colonies received four successive applications (approximately one every 16 days) with 4.2% oxalic acid (OA) and 60% sugar solution by trickling method with two alternative types of syringes (an automatic self-filling dosing and a single-use) from the broodright to broodless period. The results indicate that the first three applications (from 6th October to 25th November-broodright period) resulted in 65.3% cumulative mite mortality, while only the last application (after the 26th November-broodless period) resulted in 77.3% mite mortality. Very low outern temperatures reduce to the minimum the bee movability, which may result into a slower development of the OA efficacy. No poor colony growth or queen loss were observed even if the bee colonies were received the four successive OA applications with the last one taken place at a very low outern temperature (6.2 degrees C). The trickling method using an automatic-filling syringe seems to be a very quick way for applying oxalic acid in large apiaries (approximately 150hives/h).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17624673

 

[Ruary]

"OA has not been officially tested and approved anywhere I think"

No - Italy HAS approved the Chemicals Laif product and AFAIK Ireland is following.

.

To be accurate:

Ireland is using the Italian licence to allow importation and distribution. This is available under the cascade methodology of the Animal Medicines act, (and I think is how the use of Oxytetracycline is obtained by the UK bee inspectorate for EFB).

Apibioxal has not been offically tested in Ireland, some limited research is being carried out, but not enough to allow full Irish licencing.
Ruary