FDA Announces Policy to Phase-Out Antibiotics in the Feed of Food Animals

We have known since 1943 that bacteria can mutate and become antibiotic-resistant. In 1945, biologist Ale ander !leming warned that the misuse o" antibiotics could make bacteria resistant to it. We have had decades o" warnings, #et we "ailed to act. $n %ecember 11, the !ederal %rug Agenc# &!%A' announced a (olic# to (hase-out antibiotics as an additive to the "eed and water o" "ood animals. )he (olic# e""ectivel# makes it illegal "or drug com(anies to label antibiotics as a((ro(riate "or use in animal "ood (roduction. )he !%A also will re*uire veterinarians to su(ervise the use o" antibiotics, which will re*uire "ood (roducers to obtain (rescri(tions be"ore using antibiotics. !%A has given com(anies and (roducers three months to decide whether the# will com(l#. I" the# agree, the (olic# change will take e""ect over the ne t three #ears. +owever, the (olic# is voluntar#. It ma# be a ste( in the right direction, but it certainl# does not go "ar enough, es(eciall# when the ,enters "or %isease ,ontrol and -revention &,%,', %r. Ar.un /rinivasan, sa#s that we have 0reached the end o" antibiotics.1 )hat means we need strict measures to (revent antibiotic misuse. In"ections that (reviousl# took lives are killing again. ,%, sa#s, 0at least 2 million (eo(le become in"ected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,333 (eo(le &45 billion worldwide' die each #ear as a direct result 51 $ver the #ears, the !%A, the medical (ro"ession, the (ublic, "armers and ranchers have increasingl# become aware o" the conse*uences o" antibiotic misuse. 6ut curtailed b# the in"luence o" "ood and drug com(an# lobb#ist, e""orts to reduce antibiotic use "ailed. +o(e"ull# the a""ected com(anies will com(l#. 6ut a legal ban on the use o" antibiotics in "ood (roduction is re*uired i" it7s going to be meaning"ull# en"orced.