In response to growing concerns about antibiotic resistant bacteria, the Food and Drug Administration has instituted policies to restrict the use of antibiotics on animals raised for meat, according to a report from The New York Times.
Antibiotics are typically added to the animals' food and water to prevent infections that are otherwise unavoidable, due to space and sanitation issues. In addition, feeding animals antibiotics allows them to grow larger than they otherwise would, though the 'why' of the matter is still in question, according to the report.
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The FDA's policy — the first to address the issue in 20 years — will take effect over the next three years and will limit the use of antibiotics used in human medicine, such as penicillin, azithromycin and tetracycline. The agency has asked drug companies to voluntarily change antibiotic labels stating how the antibiotics can be used. Drug companies will have until about March to inform the FDA whether they plan to participate.
While the policy seems promising to some, precedent from other countries seems to show policy is ineffective unless it includes limits on total antibiotic use and the institution of fines for producers who do not comply, according to the report.
Despite this, the policy's supporters are hopeful the FDA's move is a step toward responsible antimicrobial stewardship. "I'm kind of happy. For all of us who've been struggling with this issue, this is the biggest step that's been taken in the last 30 years," said Stuart B. Levy, a professor at Tufts University in Boston and president of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, to The New York Times.
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