The FDA has raised concerns about the trend of giving antibiotics to animals to increase yield which is a threat to public health and has said that this must be stopped.
Though the FDA could, if it so wanted, ban the practice, as of now, they will content themselves with issuing guidelines, hoping that the food industry will comply of its own accord by making voluntary changes.
This widespread use of antibiotics leads to bacteria becoming resistant to drugs thereby rendering them ineffectual in combating infections.
According to FDA Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, MD, “We are seeing the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens,” and so use of antibiotics for production purposes is not appropriate.
Whereas there is no reason to question the use of antibiotics for treating actual disease, use of these antibiotics for animals on such a massive scale is what is objectionable.
This results in making bacteria drug resistant and even human disease is made more difficult to treat. In the event, the FDA policy and guidelines will reflect the following:
- Antibiotics should be administered to animals to protect their health (and not for increasing food production and yield).
- Veterinarians should oversee the use of antibiotics for animals so that inappropriate use or misuse is reduced.
