The debate took its latest turn on Tuesday, when U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY, introduced legislation that would require drug manufacturers to go through a new approval process to ensure that antibiotics used in farm animals don’t pose a danger to human health. Slaughter said mounting evidence showed that routine antibiotic use in factory farms was leading to drug resistance in humans. Many medical professionals fear the development of a so-called lethal “superbug” resistant to treatment.
The pharmaceutical and agricultural industries have pushed against similar efforts in the past. Pork producers say that antibiotics are a necessary part of good farm management and that the health risk is minimal.
The legislation Slaughter introduced is similar to others that have failed in recent years. The bill aims to curtail the use of antibiotics for everyday use. Critics say the drugs fatten the animals more quickly and compensate for crowded conditions in large-scale operations. Slaughter said 84 percent of feedlots administered antibiotics in feed or water. “It makes absolutely no sense to hand this to animals that aren’t sick,” she said. “We’re misusing one of the best scientific tools we have.”
via 03/18/2009 – Antibiotics for livestock are target of bill in House – STLtoday.com.
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