Human Vs. Cow In Battle Over Antibiotic

(CBS)  It's a battle over the health of cattle versus humans.

The Food and Drug Administration is moving towards approval of an antibiotic drug called Cefquinome for use in cows being shipped for slaughter, reports CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston.

But infectious disease experts are sounding an alarm.

"We're squandering this," says Dr. Martin Blaser, an infectious disease specialist. "We're wasting one of our most powerful antibiotics."

Cefquinome is a member of a very potent class of antibiotics, oftem a medicine of last resort for humans.

"It's used to treat a number of infections that plague cancer patients and other very seriously ill patients," says Rebecca Goldberg, an environmental biologist.

If Cefquinome is used in cows, infectious disease experts believe it could create bacteria that become resistant to the drug. The resistant bacteria could then be passed on to humans who eat undercooked beer of dairy products, add Pinkston.

"Antibiotic resistance is just increasing and increasing," says Dr. Blaser.

In a statement, the FDA insists, "If there is credible scientific evidence that use of an antibiotic in livestock poses a health threat to people, the FDA will take every possible measure to protect human health, including not approving a new antibiotic for livestock."

Critics say the FDA's own guidelines make it likely that Cefquinome will be approved over the objections of the American Medical Association and the FDA's own scientific advisory panel.

That's what happened a decade ago, reports Pinkston, when, under different guidelines, the FDA approved an antibiotic for poultry, which created an antibiotic resistant form of salmonella

"The FDA should say 'no' to any drug if there is a risk to human health," says Goldberg.

After proof that food poisoning victims were resistant to antibiotics similar to the poultry drug, the FDA did a 180 and banned its use. This time around, critics are hoping history doesn't repeat itself witht he new antibiotic for cattle.

[mnfarmer]

I HAVE BEEN FARMING ALL MY LIFE. WE ONLY GIVE ANTIBIOTICS WHEN LIVESTOCK NEEDS IT FOR HELTH REASONS. IT IS NOT PROFITABLE TO GIVE THEM FOR ANY OTHER REASON. WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS LIVESTOCK THAT GOT SICK WOULD SUFFER FOR EXTENDED PIRID OF TIME BEFORE THEY GOT BETTER AND MOST WOULD DIE A PAINFULL DEATH.

[hunter10039]

setumstrt9 and others......You need to do YOUR homework!
it is NOT the reproduced animals that are the problem....it is the farmers that sell their cattle to be slaughtered...which are the problem...here's how:
1. animal gets sick,
2.farmer treats with large loading dose of antibiotic, followed by regular daily doses
3. a "volatile auction price market" suddenly has a surge upward, in price of "live cattle" to be slaughtered"
4. rancher wants to take advantage of Temporary higher "per pound" price,.
5. animal STILL has "drug residue" in its flesh, because the proper waiting period has not yet passed.
6. It is not legal to sell an animal which has been treated with a drug....if it still has a residual drug which has not yet cleared out of animal.
7. farmer knows no one will check the carcass, to see if the animal still has too much antibiotic or other drug still remaining in the body.
8. most ranchers survive on such a small amount of profit, that only a "few cents per pound" will make difference between profit or loss....
9. SO, they reluctantly sell livestock too early for all the medicine to clear out of the body....
10. flesh gets eaten by public, who unknowingly get REGULAR doses of the SAME antibiotic FROM EATING that same meat, WHICH STILL HAS ANTIBIOTIC IN IT, thus developing a tolerance for that particular antibiotic, IF THEY EAT THE MEAT, FROM THE VERY SAME STOCK WHICH HAS BEEN TREATED, AND SOLD TOO EARLY, WHEN THERE IS A PRICE SPIKE IN THE "PRICE PER POUND".

[setumstrt9]

The animals that are fed antibiotics are slaughtered. That means they don't reproduce, and they can't build up resistance. You people need to understand the cattle industry before you comment. Do some research!!!!

[vancouverboo]

Here is the rest of the story, the part not printed by CBS.

http://www.mindfully.org/Farm/Antibiotics-Cattle-Superbug24mar98.htm

[vancouverboo]

These antibiotics are fed to the cattle un huge dose because one side effect is to fatten them up and increase their market value.
Waste antibiotics. Increase profits for The Rich People. Ain't America Great?

[afmca]

Mark up another stupid decision from the FDA. I guess we have a "pioneer campaign contributor" veterinarian instead of a doctor running the show. Antibiotic resistance has been growing in humans for decades, but lets make sure cattle going to slaughter aren't sick. I thought the FDA's mission was to protect human health not that of bovines. Again the big agribusiness under Bush Inc. would rather see healthy cows than healthy people. Hopefully the Democrats will rally to save us once again from FDA stupidity.

[cvbarnard]

Antibiotics fed to cattle destined for the feed lot inevitably make their way into the human system. These doses of antibiotics fed to the cattle are so low that the bacteria will only become resistant, both in cattle and in humans. What we don't need are more resistant bacteria, in animals or in people.