The amount of antibiotics sold for use in livestock rose substantially in recent years, according to the Food and Drug Administration 2002 summary report, a pattern that experts said was troubling given the efforts to battle antibiotic resistance in humans.
Several observed trends from 2009 through 2012 include:
- The total quantity of antimicrobial active ingredients sold or distributed for use in food-producing animals increased by 16%.
- The percentage of domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals that have an approved indication for production use decreased from 72% to 68%. This number does not represent sales attributable to products used solely for production indications because most of these products are also approved for therapeutic indications.
- The percentage of domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals that are sold over-the-counter (OTC) did not appreciably change, going from 98% to 97%.
Sources and more information:
- 2012 SUMMARY REPORT On Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals, Food and Drug Administration Department of Health and Human Services, September, 2014.
- Antibiotics in Livestock: F.D.A. Finds Use Is Rising,
NYTimes, OCT. 2, 2014.