"The Food and Drug Administration plans to restrict a family of antibiotics commonly used to treat livestock, citing concerns that overuse might promote the development of drug-resistant bacteria that can infect people."
"On Wednesday, the FDA said it would limit the use of cephalosporin in cattle, swine, chicken and turkey. The antibiotics can no longer be used to prevent diseases in livestock starting April 5, though they can still be used to treat illnesses, the FDA said.
Consumer advocates support the FDA’s decision. But they say the move is long overdue and deals with only one small part of a much larger public health issue tied to the overuse of antibiotics in animals. They want the FDA to also curtail the use of antibiotics in animal feed, an issue the agency has been grappling with since 1977."
Dina ElBoghdady reports for the Washington Post January 4, 2012.
SEE ALSO:
"FDA Takes a Baby Step on Factory Farm Antibiotics" (Mother Jones/Tom Philpott)
"FDA Limits Some Antibiotics in Livestock" (AP/Mary Clare Jalonick)
"On Antibiotic Use, Factory Farms Police Themselves" (Mother Jones/Tom Philpott)
"The FDA's Christmas Present for Factory Farms" (Mother Jones/Tom Philpott)
"Feds To Rein In Use Of Some Antibiotics On Animals" (NPR's The Salt/Dan Charles)
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