FDA: 'Serious Public Health Threat' Posed by the Antibiotics in Meat

The drugs create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect humans who eat it.

Huffington Post | Mary Clare Jalonick | The Food and Drug Administration is urging meat producers to limit the amount of antibiotics they give animals in response to public health concerns about the drugs.

The FDA said antibiotics in meat pose a "serious public health threat" because the drugs create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect humans who eat it. The agency is recommending that producers use the drugs judiciously, limiting their use unless they are medically necessary and only using them with the oversight of a veterinarian.

"Developing strategies for reducing (antibiotic) resistance is critically important for protecting both public and animal health," the agency said in draft guidelines printed in the Federal Register on Monday.

The agency said misuse and overuse of the drugs has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotics have been given to animals to kill pathogens for more than 50 years, and the FDA acknowledged that practice has had "tremendous benefits" to animal and human health.

Of greater concern, the agency said, is when producers use antibiotics on healthy animals to speed growth and reduce feed costs. The agency is also concerned about antibiotics that are given continuously through feed or water to entire herds or flocks of animals.

The agency said it is expecting to issue more specific guidelines soon, but FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner of Food and Drugs Joshua Sharfstein would not say whether the agency eventually plans to issue stricter regulations. He said the guidelines are just a first step and the agency will be watching industry response and also patterns of antibiotic resistance.

Advocates on both sides of the issue criticized the decision.

Sam Carney, a pork producer from Adair, Iowa, and president of the National Pork Producers Council, said reducing the amount of antibiotics given to animals could harm their health.

"As we know, healthy animals produce safe food, and we need every available tool to protect animal health," he said.

But Steven Roach, a public health advocate with the group Keep Antibiotics Working, a coalition dedicated to eliminating the overuse of antibiotics, said the guidelines don't go far enough.

"It shows the FDA still has no plan to take the necessary steps to protect public health by stopping the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in animal agriculture," he said.

Article Source







 Follow on Facebook.    Follow on Twitter

You may also be interested in reading:

Parkinson's linked to high levels of pesticide in the body
Canadian farmers opposed to GM wheat: survey
Food Inc.
The Genetic Conspiracy
The Future of Food
The World According to Monsanto - A documentary that Americans won't ever see
Shopper's Guide to Pesticides
USDA unable to weed out unapproved modified foods
Living A Nightmare - Animal Factories in Michigan
The Whole Truth About Milk

POWERED BY: WWW.THEBETTERHEALTHSTORE.COM
Information presented at theBetterHealthStore.com is for educational purposes only; statements about products and health conditions have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The Better Health Store (thebetterhealthstore.com) is provided "as is." By using this website, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless thebetterhealthstore, its owners, employees, and contributors from any damages that may arise, including damages from any third party noted, linked, or represented within this website. TheBetterHealthStore makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of this website, nor the information, content, materials, or products included within this website, nor the information, content, materials, or products from any third party noted, linked, or represented within this website. TheBetterHealthStore will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this website, nor from any third party noted, linked, or represented within this website. We reserve the right to make changes to these terms and conditions at any time.