The Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD). Past, present and future

During the last one-and-one-half decades, FARAD has established an unparalleled compilation of residue and pharmacokinetic information for veterinary species. In order to fulfill its mission, FARAD has become as much a research project as an educational one. Pressing problems, such as disease-altered kinetics, minor-species drug use, and industrial contaminants in livestock, require the new methods of analysis FARAD is developing. The data upon which this work is based can be greatly augmented by participation by other nations. In the United States, it was the cooperation of both academic and regulatory organizations that made the success of FARAD possible. Similar international cooperation can facilitate use of the FARAD model in other countries for the economic benefit of all participants, enhancement of food safety, and promotion of animal welfare.