We are also bombarded daily with antibiotics in soap and even toothpaste. As far as meat costing more, consumers are already paying more per pound since most commercial meats are "enhanced" with salt water or sodium phosphate. This fact is not always included on the pkg! I am looking for farm raised chickens, eggs and grass fed beef from local farmers since that's about all I eat. I heard something about "find your local farmer" on the Internet.
The anti-biotics that humans use - that are in animal feed to fatten them up are NOT in the same class as the stuff used in soap, toothpaste and so on.
The meat industry says FDA can't "prove" that overuse of antibiotics in meat production is the source of superbugs, suggesting the problem may be overprescription of antibiotics to humans.
Physicians should certainly be more thoughtful in using antibiotics with patients (no more automatic prescriptions for colds or sinus infections). But the last statistic I saw indicated that 75% of all antibiotics used in the U.S. every year are administered, not to people, but to animals, primarily otherwise healthy meat animals. Yes, if they didn't have easy-to-get antibiotics, many farmers would have to improve (and clean frequently) their animal facilities. But the impact of those upgrades on the price of meat would be a small price to pay to preserve the effectiveness of life-saving drugs!
It's not all that altruistic, bigezjoe, to want to make sure that antibiotics remain effective: there's no way of knowing when I might get an infection and really NEED for an antibiotic to WORK.
And I DO know whereof I speak. I've had sinusitis for more than 50 years and have NEVER taken an antibiotic for it. I just carry a pack of tissues with me wherever I go, and clear my throat (aka cough) when the postnasal drip is annoying. My new doc prescribed a steroid, but after reading the presciption inserts, I'm not sure I want to start snorting a steroid every morning just to cut down on coughing and nose-blowing. I don't think EVERY condition requires maximum medical intervention!
We don't even begin to comprehend the damage of poor eating habits My son raises chickens ,He is an award winning farmer who is at the top of his game for quality,knowledge and producing a quality product. However chicken like many animals we eat has a cost involved The birds are switched to a different diet prior to shipping to market and have evolved into a bird much larger than the original My point is this ,Cattle ,Chicken,fish you name it are beig fed modified plants We do not know the subtleties being played out in this type of genetic tampering There is a Cost to Everthing
What nobody has stated in the center of this debate is that debates centered on antibiotics, are often confused with debates centered on use of hormones and steroids in animals used in our food supply.
Antibiotics are not the same as hormones, or steroids, but the popular fear and hysteria centers on belief that they are.
Passing fear and paranoia to the debate audience is poor public service. Many self-serving who debate for and against this have market share to gain or lose in the meat production and distribution industry.
The pasteurization process of milk is a good example of where some realities are never disclosed. For example, in Mexico, some milk producers sell milk at room temperature that can be stored that way for up to 4 weeks. In other parts, it is always sold in chilled temperatures under 50 degrees and has a short life of one week, just like in the USA. In some parts of the USA, milk will remain good for two weeks. I know some mothers who fear the spoilage of a gallon of milk just purchased and drive home to store it in their home refrigerators within 30 minutes.
One argument that favors the continued use of antibiotics in meat grown domestically is that the intestinal and vaginal flora bacteria in humans seem to be unaffected. Bacterial flora is present in our bodies to aid in digestion and resist infections.
And, we have so much to yet learn about our ecosystem. We ARE what we eat, and if that is poisoned or tampered with, guess what, our poor health will be the end result. Profits should not be the driving force behind producing good food, but that is the way it now works. So the end result will be: "the rich can/will eat well, while the poorer masses eat whatever they can afford."
Is this going to be anything like the "more arsenic in your drinking water is good for you" thing they had going for a while? I'm getting tired of people telling me its all right to eat or drink things that are unhealthy, even dangerous.
Agree with Lesser and Robert...There is an yet unseen danger will be "seen" much later Way much later. Manking has only 3 intestinal floral colonies, that took millions of years to balance out. Antibiotics will lead to dangerous changes in the intestinal floral colonies to mankinds regret. Notice the lack of may, could and perhaps just the word "will"
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Physicians should certainly be more thoughtful in using antibiotics with patients (no more automatic prescriptions for colds or sinus infections). But the last statistic I saw indicated that 75% of all antibiotics used in the U.S. every year are administered, not to people, but to animals, primarily otherwise healthy meat animals. Yes, if they didn't have easy-to-get antibiotics, many farmers would have to improve (and clean frequently) their animal facilities. But the impact of those upgrades on the price of meat would be a small price to pay to preserve the effectiveness of life-saving drugs!
And I DO know whereof I speak. I've had sinusitis for more than 50 years and have NEVER taken an antibiotic for it. I just carry a pack of tissues with me wherever I go, and clear my throat (aka cough) when the postnasal drip is annoying. My new doc prescribed a steroid, but after reading the presciption inserts, I'm not sure I want to start snorting a steroid every morning just to cut down on coughing and nose-blowing. I don't think EVERY condition requires maximum medical intervention!
My son raises chickens ,He is an award winning farmer who is at the top of his game for quality,knowledge and producing a quality product.
However chicken like many animals we eat has a cost involved
The birds are switched to a different diet prior to shipping to market and have evolved into a bird much larger than the original
My point is this ,Cattle ,Chicken,fish you name it are beig fed modified plants
We do not know the subtleties being played out in this type of genetic tampering
There is a Cost to Everthing
Antibiotics are not the same as hormones, or steroids, but the popular fear and hysteria centers on belief that they are.
Passing fear and paranoia to the debate audience is poor public service. Many self-serving who debate for and against this have market share to gain or lose in the meat production and distribution industry.
The pasteurization process of milk is a good example of where some realities are never disclosed. For example, in Mexico, some milk producers sell milk at room temperature that can be stored that way for up to 4 weeks. In other parts, it is always sold in chilled temperatures under 50 degrees and has a short life of one week, just like in the USA. In some parts of the USA, milk will remain good for two weeks. I know some mothers who fear the spoilage of a gallon of milk just purchased and drive home to store it in their home refrigerators within 30 minutes.
One argument that favors the continued use of antibiotics in meat grown domestically is that the intestinal and vaginal flora bacteria in humans seem to be unaffected. Bacterial flora is present in our bodies to aid in digestion and resist infections.
Long live our ruling kings in black robes.
Most Americans burn up that much money in their Suburban or pickup truck on the way to the McDonalds every day! I'll take the restriction!