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FDA Farm Antibiotic Guidance Meets Resistance

 

 

# 2727

 

 

The use of antibiotics by farmers on their livestock in this country is largely unregulated, and many critics believe this policy is leading to the creation of new and dangerous antibiotic resistant bacteria.

 

The FDA recently released an updated guidance document recommending that antibiotics be used `judiciously’.   Here is how they define that:

 

FDA recommends that all antimicrobial drugs for animals and people be used only when necessary and appropriate.

 

Based on a thorough review of the available scientific information, FDA recommends that the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals be limited to situations where:

 

the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs is necessary for assuring animal health; and the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs includes veterinary oversight or consultation.

 

Guidance papers do not carry the weight of law, however, and so any real changes must pass legislative muster.  According to this report from Reuters, these changes are meeting some resistance on Capitol Hill.

 

 

Officials seek limits on livestock antibiotics

WASHINGTON | Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:42pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Proposals to ban the use of antibiotics as a livestock growth promotant could drive up farmers costs without improving public health, skeptical lawmakers said on Wednesday.

 

Legislation to ban the decades-old practice is unlikely to pass this year, said sponsor Louise Slaughter, but her plan is to move further next year. The Food and Drug Administration recommended on June 28 that antibiotics be used only to prevent or treat livestock disease.

(Continue . . . )

 

 

The draft guidance is available from the FDA website as a 19-page PDF file :

 

The Judicious Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals

 

FDA invites the public to comment on the draft guidance. Submit written comments on the draft guidance to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. Submit electronic comments to http://www.regulations.gov.

For more information on submitting comments see the Notice of Availability.

 

 

A Q&A format information sheet is also available at the FDA site:

 

Questions and Answers on FDA's Draft Guidance on the Judicious Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing Animals

 

Maryn McKenna – whose book Superbug: The Fatal Menace of MRSA deals with antibiotic resistance – did a series of blogs on her (now archived) Old Superbug website on the dangers of unregulated antibiotic usage in farm animals.

 

Several of those stories  showcased reports from the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric on the use of antibiotics on the farm.  All of these have video links:

 

CBS antibiotics and farming package, day one
CBS antibiotics and farming, day 2 - and more on the Danish experience
Antibiotics and farming — CBS follow-up video

 

If you want a not-exactly-short course on antibiotics in animals, I can think of no better resource than combing through Maryn’s Superbug archives.  


Try using the label search function to narrow down your request.  

http://www.superbugtheblog.com/search/label/animals

will return 81 mostly relevant blog entries.

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