Skip to content

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

FDA asks farmers to reduce animal vaccinations

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes
FDA wants vets to authorize vaccinations.

The Food and Drug Administration is asking pharmaceutical companies to join them in an effort to reduce the use of antibiotics in animals. The FDA says the practice of vaccinating animals has led to an increase in drug resistant bacteria.

Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
4/12/2012 (1 decade ago)

Published in Home & Food

Keywords: FDA, antibiotics, animals, feed, hormones, additives, food

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - Drugs such as penicillin are mixed into animal feed and water then consumed by livestock, especially chickens and pigs. These drugs help the animals gain weight and remain healthy while they are prepared for market. 

Chickens and pigs are important because they share a number of pathogens with humans. 
The agriculture industry says the wide use of antibiotics is necessary to keep animals healthy and maintain production levels that are consistent with demand. 

Under the FDA guidelines, the antibiotics should be used "judiciously" or only when needed to keep animals healthy. The agency is asking for a veterinarian to prescribe the drugs rather than allow farmers to administer the drugs at will. 

Adding a veterinarian to the process is expected to curtail use of antibiotics. William Flynn, deputy director of the FDA's veterinary medicine center said, "Now you have a veterinarian who will be consulting and providing advice to these producers, and we feel that is an important element to assure that they are in fact using these drugs appropriately."

The current recommendations are just that - recommendations. They do not bind or forbid farmers from giving the antibiotics nor do they impose restrictions on drug manufacturers. However, they do ask the companies to change labeling on the drugs and remove listings of "production uses." 

Production uses listed on the drug packaging include, weight gain and accelerated growth. These uses are not related to the health of the animals, but instead translate into profitability for farmers by reducing feed costs.

The FDA says they expect the drug manufacturers will cooperate with the new recommendations. 

---


'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'


Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Lent logo
Saint of the Day logo

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.