Very Scary!!!
Groups sue US over antibiotics in farm feed
By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 5/26/2011
A coalition of consumer groups filed a federal lawsuit against the US Food and Drug Administration over the use of human antibiotics in animal feed, saying it creates dangerous superbugs.
The suit alleges that the regulatory agency concluded in 1977 that the practice of feeding healthy animals low doses of penicillin and tetracycline could lead to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in people.
“However, despite this conclusion and laws requiring that the agency act on its findings, FDA failed to take any action to protect human health,” the groups said in a statement.
The lawsuit aims to “compel FDA to take action on the agency’s own safety findings, withdrawing approval for most non-therapeutic uses of penicillin and tetracyclines in animal feed.”
Groups included in the filing include the Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Public Citizen, and Union of Concerned Scientists.
The drugs are added to feed or mixed into water given to cows, turkeys, chickens, pigs and other livestock.
However, they are administered at such low levels that they do not treat disease, but leave surviving bacteria stronger and more able to resist them.
“Accumulating evidence shows that antibiotics are becoming less effective, while our grocery store meat is increasingly laden with drug-resistant bacteria,” said Peter Lehner, NRDC executive director.
FDA did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.
Last year, the FDA authorities pressed farmers to give fewer antibiotics to livestock and poultry to reduce the risk of potentially harmful resistance to antimicrobial drugs.
Yet FDA officials stressed the drugs could play a key role when used properly.
Source: http://news.malaysia.msn.com/top-stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4873661
We tend to believe in our own governments of providing the correct information to protect our livelihood and health, but a lot of the times, and in the case of the US Food and Drug Administration, a lot of back door politics and lobbying are at play for greed in order that certain laws and regulations are to be passed at the expense of the rights of their fellow countryman.
At the end of the day…..you don’t even know whether to believe or not to believe the ruling people who are supposed to protect us.
I am glad that I do not have to worry about this as my two sons and I are already full time vegetarian.
Looking at the current environment, it only make sense to either cut down on meat consumption…. if not for spiritual beliefs, at least for the sake of your own health.
Agree with Margaret on the politic issues.
Animal farm owners only concern in feeding antibiotics to their livestock is that the animals are ‘healthy’ so that the farmers have a profitable yield. Ka-ching!
Antibiotics for humans should only be taken when prescribed by a medical practitioner, not to be bought over the counter and consumed without a prescription. Worse still is when we do not complete taking the course of antibiotics prescribed. This way, humans too contribute to creating super bugs.
I do not take antibiotics if it is a viral infection unless it is prescribed by my doctor for a bacterial infection.
This drugs are added into the feed meals so that the farm owners can reap a good profit. However, it is harmful to humans in the long run. So the best way is to cut down or stop taking meat. I am glad I did! No more meat for me.
Nowadays it is difficult to find safe and healthy food to eat.
Just recently the local Malaysian newspaper reported about rubbish pork being dumped and sold to the food vendors without them realising it. These rubbish pork could be derived from death pigs. Meat lovers can you imagine eating these rubbish pork?
If is a known fact that most meat contains antibiotics or other drugs. Qigong practitioners, Yogis or other healers will advise you to avoid meat altogether because meat contains very ‘dirty’ red energy which when consumed can be harmful to our wellbeing.
How could meat lovers still continue to enjoy eating meat with all the latest findings about the health hazards and many other disadvantages of consuming meat?
To avoid these unnecessary health hazards, Go Vegetarian!
Yay! Go vegetarian starting TODAY! NOW
I always avoid antibiotics even doctor prescribed the medicine to me. Few years ago i heard form my friend whose relatives into pig business said that the meat out to the consumers can be BAD MEAT!
The best solution is to go vegetarian or cut down meat eating gradually.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this.
Yae!!!Go vegetarian…go Kechara Oasis!!!
Yes, we keep reading about animals being pumped with chemicals, on the one hand, and about meat-eaters blithely enjoying the chemical laden meat, on the other.Why can’t they wake up to this ugly truth about meat and become vegetarian for the sake of their health and well-being?
Unscrupulous businessmen are always thinking of reaping profits at the expense of their consumers. No wonder more potent virus are being created and more difficult to be treated.
This is a vicious cycle of demand and supply. So, it’ll be great if more people can cut down on meat consumption if not go vegetarian. This not only help reduce the suffering of the helpless animals but also for our own health.
Disgusting! I hope that people would be more aware of what they are putting on their plates. Scary stuff. That is why we GO GREEN! hehe
Thank you for sharing this article with us Rinpoche!
Shelly Tai on June 09,2011at 10:05am
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this news with us, this is so scary. The farmer are only concern about theirs profit they are so irresponsible and selfish. I think the best is go green i m glad my whole family is vegetarian now thanks to Rinpoche teaching it inspiring us to become vegetarian.