Advocacy Groups Petition FDA Over Livestock Antibiotic Use
More than 60 organizations have collectively petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revoke its approval for certain antibiotic uses in food-producing livestock. The groups contend that the current practices are "unsafe" and contribute to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which poses a significant threat to human health. They cite the use of 34 million pounds of antibiotics in livestock feed and water annually.
More than 60 organizations, including Earthjustice, have filed a petition with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The petition urges the FDA to withdraw its approval for specific uses of antibiotics in food-producing livestock, which the groups describe as “unsafe.”
The advocacy groups argue that the use of antibiotics for preventing disease in livestock contributes to the accumulation of bacteria resistant to drugs critical for human health. They highlight that approximately 34 million pounds of antibiotics are utilized in livestock feed and water annually for treating diagnosed diseases.
According to the petitioning organizations, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are linked to an estimated 35,000 deaths and over 2 million illnesses each year in the United States. Peter Lehner, an attorney at Earthjustice, stated that the FDA is “obligated to ensure that drugs given to animals do not harm humans,” and despite what he called “overwhelming scientific evidence,” the practice has been allowed to continue.
(Source: STAT News)
