What do animal drugs have to do with your bladder infection? Well, since an estimated 70 percent of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are reguraly added to livestock feed (even though the livestock aren't sick), bacteria constantly exposed to antibiotics develop resistance. That means when you get sick with resistant bacteria, prescribed antibiotics may not work. (A quick refresher on this issue can be found on Envirovore here and here.)

The Senate is set to renew a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) program that funds the review of new animal drug applications. There's an opportunity to inform the Senate's decision regarding the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) by providing public comments that encourage Congress not to pass ADUFA until it instructs FDA to:

• Review the effect of antibiotics used in animal feed and water on resistance
• Collect data on how these drugs are administered
• Stop the unnecessary use of antibiotics that can lead to resistance

The issue of antibiotic resistance has received much attention over the past five years, thanks to campaigns and coalition work by public interest groups. Even Tyson said it would scale back on antibiotic use in its poultry production. (Though, later they got in trouble for false antibiotic-free claims.)

Lend your voice, and help stop the overuse of drugs in livestock operations. We need many of these drugs to work for us today and on into the future.

Sources: Center for Food Safety and Keep Antibiotics Working

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