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The continuing debate over antibiotic use

Representative Louise Slaughter of New York has led an effort in Congress to greatly reduce the use of antibiotics in livestock production. Slaughter, a microbiologist contends the use has contributed to increasing antibiotic resistance in humans. As part of her effort, the Food and Drug Administration is now required to report the amount of antibiotics used in food-producing animals each year. Representative Slaughter says the FDA numbers from 2010 show a 6.7 percent increase in the use of antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals compared to 2009. She calls the increase “a serious threat to public health.”

Dr. Christine Hoang with the Scientific Activities Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association says while the numbers don’t lie, they do not indicate how those drugs are being used. Hoang says there is no question there is growing resistance to antibiotics in humans and in animals but we can’t jump to conclusions.

AUDIO: Dr. Hoang talks about antibiotic use in livestock 3:28 mp3