A study in Australia has revealed that prohibiting the use of certain antibiotics in animals helps lower antibiotic resistance in human diseases. Since more vulnerable germs means easier-to-treat disease and shorter treatment times, this is a big deal.
Since many American food producers simply use drugs prophylactically to avoid disease in their animals (that are frequently kept in filthy and densely-packed buildings), perhaps following the Australian model might pay off in terms of easier-to-treat disease.
The good news is that we're already on the way. Last year, the FDA banned the use of cipro-class antibiotics in poultry. Now, how about the cows?
1 comment:
This cuts both ways for me; I grew up on a cattle farm, but now I'm in the health care industry. The amount of antibiotics that I saw in use on the farm (and ranch) was amazing; usually the cheaper stuff, but the quantities...
Then again, seeing how expensive new drug trials are, in terms of both money and human suffering... I'd tend to come down in favor of the australian system. Antibiotics need to be one-shot treatments, not a continual barrage. Anything else just gets rid of their usefulness.
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