Well, here we are again talking about the FDA and the use of
antibiotics in animals. The FDA just finalized its long-awaited rule requiring industry
to report how the antibiotics marketed for use in animals are actually used
(see the report by STAT). The FDA will now have actual data about how
much and which antibiotics are used for growth promotion, prevention of
infection and for therapy. Of course, one could ask how long it will take for
them to collect all this information and then decide whether to act on the data
or not. 
To me, as those of you who follow my blog already know, this
is nothing more than a delaying tactic.
In my view,
as I have expressed on multiple occasions, the argument as to whether
antibiotic use in animals leads to resistance in pathogens that infect humans
was settled back in the 1980s. Once again, I think the FDA is maneuvering to
avoid congressional pressure. They also
have received cover in this regard from none other than the President’s Council
of Advisors on Science and Technology who stated
in their report that the data showing the link between use of antibiotics in
animals and resistance in humans has not yet been convincingly shown. This is a view I could not disagree with more
strongly.
All the FDA need do is look at data from Europe where
halting the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animals has clearly led
to decreasing levels of resistance in human pathogens. Europe leads the way
once again!
While there is nothing wrong with collecting more data – the
time for the FDA to act has long passed. But what else is new?
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