[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”0″ padding_right=”0″ hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]FDA reports shows antibiotic use up in food animals[/title][fusion_text]Friday, December 11th 2015
An annual report from the Food and Drug Administration shows that sales and distribution of antibiotics for use in food animals is continuing an upward trend. In the report, the FDA presents aggregated sales and distribution data for antimicrobial drugs approved for use in food-producing animals during the 2014 calendar year. According to the findings, 2014 domestic sales and distribution of such drugs increased 4 percent over 2013 and were up 22 percent from 2009. Figures for 2014 domestic sales and distribution of antimicrobials that are medically important to humans but also approved for use in food-producing animals increased 3 percent in 2014, but rose 23 percent between 2009 and 2014. The report also states that such drugs accounted for 62 percent of domestic sales of all antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals. In its report, the FDA cautioned that there are “certain inherent limitations” on how data on increased antibiotic sales “may be appropriately interpreted and used.” The report clarifies that the sales and distribution data “are not indicative of how these antimicrobial drugs were actually used in animals” and that the figures represent products “intended for sale to the end user, not the volume of product ultimately purchased by the end user for administration to animals.” Because of such variables, the report said, “assumptions cannot be made about actual product use.” In June, the FDA published an updated Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) that went into effect at the beginning of October. The updated VFD calls for greater veterinary oversight and addresses medically important antibiotics used in growth promotion.
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