Anti-antibiotics in animals

A call to ban them, now

By Culinate staff

August 25, 2010

It’s not news anymore: The antibiotics routinely given to livestock to prevent them from getting sick have encouraged the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which has made disease in both animals and humans much harder to treat. (That’s how we got MRSA, by the way.)

For more than three decades, the FDA has tried to ban several uses of antibiotics in livestock, but agribusiness has successfully fought off most bans. Now the FDA is trying again, with a draft guidance that’s open for public comment till August 28.

The FDA has posted online testimony about the issue, as well as a downloadable copy of the draft guidance. You can submit your comments via CREDO Action or the website Regulations.gov.

And while you’re at it, you could follow the suggestion of the certifying agency Animal Welfare Approved and tell the FDA just how much stronger their draft guidance should be.