courtney@hp-pcd.UUCP (02/07/84)
I realize that the discussion of "why not eat meat" has long passed, but I
thought that many of you would be interested in this information...
The following is an article copied from the "NRDC Newsline", the newsletter
of the Natural Resources Defense Council. I have highlighted some of the
key phrases with a '>' for those who are interested but don't want to read
the whole article.
Courtney Loomis
"Fattening The Beasts On Antibiotics" -Shelley Hearne
NRDC has followed the twists and turns of the antibiotics in livestock
feed controversy for over ten years. Our commitment began in 1972 as NRDC
urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately ban all
subtherapeutic uses of antibiotics in animals (doses below the levels used
for medical purposes). The NRDC position has been solidly supported not
only by the scientific evidence, but by the actions of many European nations
who, recognizing the serious implications underlying their use, have
withdrawn approval of such use of these drugs.
> With each year, human drug therapy is increasingly compromised by the
> growing pool of bacteria immune to the curative powers of antibiotics.
> Penicillin and tetracycline__drugs commonly used in both humans and
> livestock__have lost their effectiveness in curing such illnesses as severe
> food poisoning, pneumonia and venereal diseases. Doctors' overprescription
> of these drugs partially accounts for this dilemma. However, indiscriminate
> usage of antibiotic-laced feeds by the cattle, poultry and swine industries
> are known to contribute to microorganisms acquiring resistant capabilities.
> Farmers and feedlot operators utilize nearly half of this country's
> antibiotics supply by claiming that these subtherapeutic additives promote
> growth and prevent disease in their livestock. Yet these practices merely
> permit animals to be reared in crowded, unsanitary conditions, without fear
> of epidemic outbreaks.
In the early 1970's, the FDA in recognition of the serious human health
threat, began tightening their regulations controlling anibiotic feed
mixes, by requiring that new applications demonstrate their safety. In
> 1977, when scientific evidence clearly supported their position, the FDA
> proposed a total ban on the subtherapeutic use of penicillin and
> tetracycline in animal feeds. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical and
livestock industries were able to place an effective delay on final
promulgation of the ban by getting Congress to require further studies.
> Under the present administration, the FDA, in apparent contradiction to its
> original concerns for human health, has recently proposed to relax its
> safety standards by allowing additional animal feed uses of penicillin and
> tetracycline.
NRDC has now increased its own efforts to develop support for a total
ban in order to offset the industry pressures opposing the original FDA
proposals. NRDC has been instrumental in working with leaders of the
scientific community to alert the public to the seriousness of this
> pervasive health threat. Over 300 of this country's leading medical
> scientists and physicians have joined NRDC in petitioning the Reagan
> Administration to pressure Congress to take legislative action to address
this issue. This fall, NRDC has starteda major program of lobbying and
public education to bring a political resolution to this problem, which is
> fast becoming one of the most critical public health problems of the
decade.
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