Animal farm medicine

Katie Couric investigates antibiotic use in healthy animals

By Culinate staff

February 12, 2010

On CBS News this week, Katie Couric reported on an investigation she led into overuse of antibiotics in animals — a problem that leads to untreatable infections in humans. She filed two reports, the first looking at the controversy over heavy antibiotic use in animals by American farmers:

The second report was about Europe’s ability to curb antibiotics in animals:

This was done in Denmark and elsewhere without huge losses in profit — the concern of some conventional animal growers.

A memorable quote from the first report: “I loved hog farming. And I miss it. I wish I could go back,” [former hog worker] Kim Howland said. “But until the walls come down and the roofs come off, there’s no chance.”

Howland’s husband nearly died of methicillin-resistant staph, or MRSA.

Of course, Couric isn’t the first national journalist to bring this problem to light; many have done so. About a year ago, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times wrote a couple of columns on the increase in untreatable infections in humans — MRSA, specifically — perhaps caused by overuse of antibiotics in animals.

According to Couric’s report, there are officials at the FDA who are looking into this problem. Until it’s addressed by law, however, she suggests you check the package on the pork chops you buy; if antibiotics weren’t given to the animals providing the meat, it will say so. (Meat labeled “organic” is antibiotic-free.)