The Food and Drug Administration will roll out a proposal to combat superbugs in farm animals, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Tuesday.
“We are going to be rolling out in the next couple of months our plan for what we will do to build on some of the good work that has already been done, and looking at some additional steps that we can take to make sure there is judicious use of antibiotics in the farm setting,” Gottlieb said during a Senate budget hearing.
He was responding to a line of questioning from Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., who has introduced legislation to reduce the use of antibiotics in the meat supply. Udall praised the FDA’s actions last year banning meat suppliers from using antibiotics to help livestock grow faster.
Roughly 2 million people every year become infected with “superbugs,” bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. At least 23,000 people die each year as a result of those infections, according to federal data. One of the reasons for the rise in superbugs is the improper or overuse of antibiotics, both in people and in the meat supply.
Overuse or improper use makes bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter stronger and resistant to drugs previously able to fight them off. In a farm setting, bacteria can spread not only to other livestock in close quarters, but also to farm workers who slaughter the animals and eventually to customers who eat infected meat. Public health advocates say the government should step in more.
Udall said he believed the FDA should do more on the issue.
“We know that antibiotics are sometimes appropriate to ensure that animal health is maintained,” he said. “But we need the right policies and data to make sure we are using those drugs judiciously and that we are using alternatives whenever possible.”
He noted that the FDA surveys sales of antibiotics but doesn’t track why antibiotics are being purchased by ranchers. He asked Gottlieb whether more data was needed to reduce the use of antibiotics.
“We could always benefit from more information … but we can and will do more in this regard,” Gottlieb replied, noting that the Department of Agriculture also collects data.
Gottlieb said he meets with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue every month and that they talk regularly.
“The relationship has been very strong and collaborative,” Gottlieb said.
