Veterinary Drug Recall Systems in Türkiye: A Health Management and Governance Perspective from a One Health Framework

Abstract

Veterinary medicinal products play an important role within the One Health framework and may indirectly affect human health through food safety and pharmacovigilance mechanisms. In this context, drug recall systems represent an important regulatory component of post-market surveillance and risk management. This study examines the veterinary drug recall system in Türkiye within the conceptual frameworks of health governance and the One Health approach, with a particular focus on the dimensions of transparency, accountability, and coordination. The study adopts a two-stage design. First, a systematic content analysis was conducted using official veterinary drug recall announcements published by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Second, a deductive thematic analysis was performed based on predefined governance principles and One Health-related conceptual categories. The dataset includes all publicly available recall announcements up to November 2025. The findings suggest that recall information in Türkiye is available in a partial and heterogeneous form. While recall classifications are consistently reported, key elements such as product information, company details, batch/serial numbers, recall dates, regulatory follow-up, and standardized reporting structures are not fully accessible in the public domain. The data quality assessment indicates structural inconsistencies, including non-standard reporting formats, incomplete records, and the absence of post-recall monitoring mechanisms. At the system level, transparency appears limited due to incomplete reporting practices, while accountability is constrained by limited information on sanctions and follow-up actions. Coordination is partially implemented through regulatory procedures; however, inter-institutional data integration appears to remain limited. Comparative observations indicate that regulatory authorities such as the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency provide more structured and comprehensive recall reporting systems. Overall, the study suggests that improving data standardization and strengthening coordination between the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry may contribute to enhanced pharmacovigilance capacity and support more integrated One Health-oriented evaluation frameworks in Türkiye.