SuperbugsPharmas agree to end promotion of antibiotic use in livestock

Twenty-five of the twenty-six pharmaceutical companies targeted for new FDA guidelines aimed at reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock, have agreed voluntary to abide by the measures. These twenty-five companies, accounting for more than 99 percent of the  of livestock antibiotics in the world,  have “agreed in writing that they intend to engage in the judicious use strategy by seeking withdrawal of approvals relating to any production uses and changing the marketing status of their products from over-the-counter to use by [veterinary] prescription,” the FDA stated.

PharmaqAS, a Norwegian manufacturers of drugs used on farm fish, is the only targeted company whih refused the guidelines, saying its products are only used to treat diseased fish and not to promote growth in livestock. PharmaqAS has, however, agreed to reconsider the FDA’s request.

The Inter Press Service reports that the U.S. meat industry has been  feeding low levels of antibiotics to healthy animals over an extended period of time in order to increase the weight of livestock. Public health officials have said that such practices  have contributed to the increase in  antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” around the world.

Under the voluntary guidelines, antibiotic manufacturers will remove from their products’ labels references to growth-enhancing benefits, thus, in effect, discouraging farmers from continuing the unnecessary use of antibiotics in livestock. The use of antibiotics for sick animals will be permitted through a prescription from a registered veterinarian.

Some U.S. lawmakers and public interest groups are skeptical of the guidelines’ effectiveness. Sarah Borron, a researcher with Food and Water Watch (FWW), told Inter Press Service that “an analysis of the drugs being affected by the guidance…found that of the drugs that will stop being used for growth promotion, 63 percent can still be used for disease prevention.” Borron added “the problem is, that’s a very similar type of use. Farmers still give low doses of antibiotics to entire herds for long periods, and that still promotes the development of antibiotic resistance. Any time antibiotics are used for routine disease prevention, that’s a sign that something else is wrong with the livestock system.”

Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut) believes the voluntary approach is unlikely to reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock. “Companies will either disregard the plan altogether or simply switch from using antibiotics for routine growth promotion to using the same antibiotics for routine disease prevention. For the good of public health, FDA should step up and implement tighter restrictions on antibiotic usage.”

The FDA notes that the voluntary approach is an alternative to a contentious regulatory process if the guidelines had been forced.

Recent incidents like the 2011 Cargill recall, in which thirty-six million pounds of ground turkey were recalled over concerns of meat contamination with an antibiotic-resistant form of salmonella, have led CDC director Dr. Tom Friedman to classify antibiotic resistance as one of the country’s “most serious health threats.”

As the FDA launches the initiative to reduce the use of antibiotics to promote growth in livestock, the European Union has already banned such use of antibiotics since 2006. The FDA sees the voluntary approach as a way for the meat industry to adopt new guidelines and is “encouraged by the response thus far and will continue to monitor ongoing participation and provide public updates on a periodic basis,” the agency said.