Federal Judge’s Ruling May End Use Of Antibiotics In Animal Feed

In a ruling by Judge Theodore H. Katz of the Southern District of New York on Thursday, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration must begin proceedings to ban the use of common antibiotics in animal feed. The ruling comes after concern that the antibiotics, penicillin and tetracycline, will lose their effectiveness in humans, because of how much is used in the food they ingest.

These antibiotics are used widely in animal feed, because they promote growth in livestock like chickens, pigs, and cattle. Not only can they lose their effectiveness in humans, but some are also concerned that the overuse of antibiotics is endangering our health by creating “superbugs” (antibiotic resistant viruses).

This ruling restarts proceedings that the FDA originally began in 1977, when it became concerned about the widespread use of tetracyclines and and penicillin. These proceedings, however, were never completed.

In his statement on Thursday, Judge Katz stated that:

“In the intervening years, the scientific evidence of the risks to human health from the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock has grown, and there is no evidence that the FDA has changed its position that such uses are not shown to be safe.”

The lawsuit that moved to force the FDA ban on these antibiotics was initiated by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Food Animal Concerns Trust, Public Citizen and the Union of Concerned Scientists in January.

They argued that the use of common antibiotics in livestock feed, when there was no apparent sickness in the animal, has caused a rapid growth of antibiotic-resistant disease in humans, as well as animals.

In fact, Antibiotic-resistant infections cost the American public more than $20 billion per year, according to a 2009 study from the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, as well as Cook County Hospital.

Judge Katz’s order will require the F.D.A. to alert drug manufacturers of the intention to ban the use of antibiotics, unless they can present evidence that these drugs are safe to use. The judge wrote that if they provide sufficient evidence that these drugs are safe to use as a growth hormone for livestock, then their use may continue.

Siobhan DeLancey, a spokeswoman for the F.D.A. said in a statement that, “We are studying the opinion and considering appropriate next steps.” She did not say if the government planned an appeal of Judge Katz’s decision.

Do you believe that the use of antibiotics to promote growth in livestock should be banned?

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