FDA Should Go Further In Restricting Antibiotic Use In Livestock

The Food and Drug Administration has taken a timid step toward outlawing the unnecessary use of antibiotics in livestock, banning farmers and ranchers from using certain antibiotics solely to promote growth in cows, pigs, chickens or turkeys. Let’s hope the agency goes further soon—before more people die to improve Big Ag’s bottom line.

The FDA fist considered restricting the agricultural use of this class of antibiotics, called cephalosporins, in 2008, amongst growing evidence that such use was contributing to the emergence of ‘superbugs‘—bacterial infections in humans that were resistant to antibiotic treatment. Cephalosporins are among the most common used to treat people for things like strep throat, pneumonia and urinary tract infections.

But farmers, vets and drug companies said the risks from antibiotics used in livestock were exaggerated. It’s taken several years since initial consideration for the FDA to finally take this incremental step at restricting cephalosporin use.

It’s not enough: Cephalosporins might be among the most common antibiotics used on humans, but not on animals, since they already require a prescription from veterinarians. The new regulations would stop their routine injection into broiler eggs and their being used in large, lengthy doses to treat cow and pig infections—which is definitely a good thing. But farmers can still give other, more common antibiotics—like penicillin and tetracycline—to animals more or less indiscriminately. No prescriptions are needed for these other antibiotics, because it’s not sick animals to which they’re being given. Penicillin and tetracycline are added in bulk to feed and water make animals bigger, and ring up bigger sales.

And at what cost? Doctors say antibiotic-resistant bacteria have led to thousands of deaths. The dangers of widespread penicillin and tetracycline use in farm animals isn’t even disputed by the FDA—rules proposed by the agency in 2010 would ban using penicillin and tetracycline use for the sole purpose of promoting growth or preventing illness that results from unsanitary conditions. But, again, some farmers, ranchers and drug companies are kicking their heels. And, again, the FDA is letting politics get in the way of protecting public health.

Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods at the FDA, told the New York Times “We’re hopeful that in the coming months, we’ll be able to carry forward on that work.” Me too, Mr. Taylor, me too.

For more info on antibiotics and livestock, check out The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming.