Antibiotic Use In Food Animals: A Common Purpose Dialogue
This white paper is the summary of talks coming from a 2011 symposium addressing the use of antibiotics in animals raised for food. The symposium, sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry, had talks addressing possible human health risks associated with antibiotic use as well as consumer attitudes and concerns about the use of antibiotics. The paper also discusses how to communicate with consumers regarding this issue to assuage their concerns.
Excerpt from Executive Summary:
“The use of antibiotics in food‐animal production has elicited concern about antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance is a highly complex, multi‐faceted issue… Resistance to antimicrobials continues to evolve, with many types of resistance mechanisms. As such, it is imperative that antibiotics be used appropriately not only in animal agriculture but also in the human population.”
“Common on‐farm practices that consumers should know about regarding food‐animal production include:”
- “Modern livestock farms increasingly involve licensed veterinarians who advise on health management decisions.”
- “Vaccines are used to protect animals from various illnesses.”
- “Sick animals are treated with medicines, such as antibiotics, to restore their health, and protections are in place to ensure that their meat or milk is safe for people.”
- “The FDA approves the use of all new animal drugs after testing and confirming animal safety and human food safety.”
- “If antibiotics are administered to cure a sick animal, the animal itself — in the case of meat production — or animal products such as milk — are not allowed to enter the food supply until the withdrawal period has passed and the medicine has sufficiently cleared the animal’s system. The required periods for withdrawing medication are specific for each drug and species and are approved by the FDA based on research studies of residues in edible tissues. “
“In final analysis, the ultimate priority about antibiotic use going forward is the development of well‐established, science‐based criterion in the regulatory decision‐making process. Simultaneously, the livestock industry should remain focused on continual improvement of good animal husbandry practices and disease prevention.”
The link below will begin a download of a PDF of the full report.
Citations:
Pfizer Animal Health, Pfizer Animal Health, 2011 United States (National)
