February 24, 2012

By David Blyweiss, M.D.

In This Issue:

• Why you shouldn’t be fooled by the latest FDA ruling
• The true extent of antibiotic use in animals
• Make sure eating out is really a treat

You might have noticed the headlines around the beginning of the year regarding the FDA setting limits on antibiotic use in livestock. So maybe you got tempted to save a few pennies and start buying conventionally-grown meats.

Well, not so fast.

Today, I want to share with you why the latest ruling is merely a bone thrown to a disgruntled public, a growing number of scientists, public health experts, and advocacy groups to cover up an earlier ruling.

The true problem here – one the FDA and the farmers themselves are sidestepping – is the industry routinely uses antibiotics to make livestock fatter and more cost-effective. Not healthier. And in doing so, they are putting us all in grave danger…

By the end of 2011, the FDA had made few friends on the issue of limiting antibiotic use in American livestock. During the holidays, while most people were focused on mistletoe and eggnog, the agency quietly refused to restrict the use of penicillins and tetracyclines. These are two groups of antibiotics the World Health Organization has warned are vitally important to public health and need to remain effective.

This decision had been on and off their plate since 1977, with consumer advocacy groups and industry lobbyists tugging at them from both sides. So when they refused to rule against the industry, after delaying for decades, let’s just say they fell off quite a few Christmas card lists.

So, when they decided, just a few weeks later, to limit the use of cephalosporins – an antibiotic given to some cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys before slaughter – it smelled a little fishy.

In humans, cephalosporins treat pneumonia, skin infections and meningitis, among other diseases, and are a life-saving last resort for infections that can be killers. So I don’t mean to minimize the decision completely. It is important.

But considering the magnitude of the issue, it is a drop of water in a very large ocean of concern.

Cephalosporins are already not as widely used as some other classes of antibiotics, and they are generally not mixed with animal feed in massive quantities. So while they are important to protect, they are also not the biggest threat to our health and safety.

Here’s what is…

The current practice of most conventional farmers in the U.S. is to routinely lace feed with antibiotics for their healthy animals, which is known as “subtherapeutic use.”

Most of the animals fed antibiotics are not diseased. And they don’t receive dosages high enough to treat disease. Rather, they are fed small quantities of antibiotics throughout their lives to make them grow faster. That’s created a booming market for pharmaceutical companies… some estimates say nearly 80 percent of the antibiotics sold in this country are for use in livestock, not humans.

And the more of it we use to “fatten our food”, the less available these life-saving agents will be when we need them.

I’m not suggesting animals go untreated when they become sick.  But that’s considered “therapeutic use.” And this latest ruling does still allow even the cephalosporins to be used in case of illness. Rather, I am advocating that, like humans, animals receive antibiotics only when they are sick.

Whether in people or animals, antibiotics should be used sparingly and only when absolutely necessary – so they remain effective.

Because antibiotics don’t discriminate – they kill all bacteria, good or bad – overuse encourages the growth of resistant bacteria. Unnecessary use of antibiotics creates resistant bacteria, and processing meats spreads them throughout the food chain, and the environment. From meats in the supermarket, to fertilizer in fields, runoff into streams and water sources, ventilation of food production facilities releasing airborne resistant pathogens… and so on and so on.

While buying meat products free from antibiotics will provide you with some personal protection, none of us can completely avoid the danger. It truly is a public health issue affecting everyone.

It requires the FDA take a stand much bigger than the one they took. The European Union has already taken that stand, along with a number of other countries. And it’s time we follow their lead.

Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve addressed this issue – so you may already be careful about what you prepare and eat at home.

But what about eating out? One of life’s little luxuries – or sometimes biggest conveniences – is to eat a meal out of the house. But unlike the supermarket, you have a lot less control about what comes out on your plate…

Fortunately, a growing number of restaurants are aware of these issues – and are making smart choices on behalf of their customers. TGI Friday’s announced a decade ago that they would no longer make their burgers with meat that includes antibiotics. Chipotle Mexican Grill has a “Food With Integrity” commitment that includes using only antibiotic-free meats in their dishes. And there is a growing movement among individual restaurants to offer organic ingredients and healthier selections.

If you aren’t sure where to go, or you are taking a vacation and want to choose restaurants consistent with your own healthy eating commitments, try using this handy search engine before heading out: www.eatwellguide.org

Making a commitment to health can be time-consuming and challenging. But as more and more people become aware of the issue – and demand a food supply that is healthy for everyone – the more choices we will have.  And the more pressure restaurants and food producers will have to make the necessary changes

Resources:

Lawrence, Robert S. The Rise of Antibiotic Resistance: Consequences of FDA’s Inaction, Atlantic Monthly, http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/01/the-rise-of-antibiotic-resistance-consequences-of-fdas-inaction/251754/

Modern Meat, Is Your Meat Safe? Antibiotic Debate Overview, PBS, Frontline http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/meat/safe/overview.html