Flubendazole is an

anthelmintic Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body by either stunning or killing them and without causing significant damage to the host. They may ...

. Its brand name is Flutelmium which is a paste manufactured by

Janssen Pharmaceutica Janssen Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Beerse, Belgium, and wholly-owned by Johnson & Johnson. It was founded in 1953 by Paul Janssen. In 1961, Janssen Pharmaceuticals was purchased by New Jersey-based American ...

N.V. used by

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

s for protection against internal

parasite Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...

s and worms in dogs and cats. Other brand names are Flubenol, Biovermin, and Flumoxal. It is also available for human use to treat worm infections. It is available OTC (without prescription) in Europe. Since 2000, Flubendazole-treated grit has increasingly been laid out on a landscape-scale across many UK

grouse Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes, in the family Phasianidae. Grouse are presently assigned to the tribe Tetraonini (formerly the subfamily Tetraoninae and the family Tetraonidae), a classification supported by mitochondria ...

-shooting moors by

gamekeeper A gamekeeper (often abbreviated to keeper), or in case of those dealing with deer (deer-)stalker, is a person who manages an area of countryside (e.g. areas of woodland, moorland, waterway or farmland) to make sure there is enough game for s ...

s in an attempt to reduce the impact on bird numbers from

strongyle worm ''Trichostrongylus tenuis'', also known as the strongyle worm, is a gut nematode found in the United Kingdom, sensitive to Pyrantel pamoate. Larvae have a short migration inside the mucosa of the intestine and return quickly to the digestive tr ...

. Evidence of high worm burden is required before a veterinarian can dispense and sell the product, known as 'medicated grit'. However, there has been increasing concern about contaminants entering the ground waters running off from moorlands, as well as from its use in farming environments and its presence in

manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the Soil fertility, fertility of soil by adding organic ma ...

. Researchers are starting to gather research evidence in order to inform policy development on the presence of this and other veterinary medicines in the wider environment.

References

Anthelmintics Antiparasitic agents Diarylketones Benzimidazoles Carbamates Fluoroarenes {{antiinfective-drug-stub