FDA to Limit Antibiotics to Treat Livestock to Prevent Superbugs

The headline above appeared in a January 4, 2012 Washington Post Business article, and reports on the US Food and Drug Administration's plan to restrict the usage of certain antibiotics in livestock. The move is being made to reduce the growing risk that the germs that are being created as a result of the widespread use of antibiotics would be stronger and more resistant to treatment, therefore endangering humans.

The article notes that the antibiotics being used are the same ones used to treat people who have serious infections. Dr. David Wallinga, a physician with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, who also works with the Keep Antibiotics Working coalition, stated, "This is an incredibly critical class of antibiotics for humans. In the medical world you'd call it a 'big gun' or a 'drug of last resort. It's effective against a pretty broad spectrum of bacteria." Dr. Wallinga added, "When someone comes into an emergency room and you dont know what theyre sick with, you try to treat them with one of the big guns. When your big guns start being ineffective, youre really in trouble."

In opposition to the ban, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association argued that there is not enough scientific evidence to say that the use of antibiotics is unsafe. Their spokesperson, Kristina Butts, stated, "The top priority for cattle producers is to raise healthy cattle because healthy cattle are the foundation of a safe, wholesome food supply."

Rep. Louise Slaughter, of New York, a microbiologist who has pressured the federal government on the issue stated, "This is a modest first step by the FDA, but we're really just looking at the tip of the iceberg. We don't have time for the FDA to ploddingly take half-measures. We are staring at a massive public health threat in the rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. We need to start acting with the swiftness and decisiveness this problem deserves."

In a January 4, 2012, Los Angeles Times article on this issue, Representative Slaughter, who has written legislation in the past intended to prevent antibiotic overuse, concluded, "With over 1 million Salmonella cases in the U.S. each year, at least 30,000 Americans will contract cephalosporin-resistant bacteria every year. I'm glad the FDA is finally acting but how many Americans have needlessly been sickened in the meantime?"