A large number of the medically important antibiotics given to cattle, hogs and poultry now sold over the counter to livestock producers will come under veterinary control in the next couple of years, says the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The change is due to FDA rules, announced in late 2013, that would phase out use of the antibiotics as a growth promotant and require approval by veterinarians to use the antimicrobials for prevention or treatment of disease. JAVMA says the FDA rules will cover 94 percent of the volume of medically important antibiotics – 19.6 million pounds in 2012 – now available over the counter.
Activists have voiced skepticism the rules will curb development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Many of the antibiotics approved to promote weight gain in food animals also are listed for disease prevention or treatment, they say.
FDA data show that in addition to medically important antibiotics distributed for livestock use in 2012, 12.6 million pounds of antibiotics not ranked as medically important were distributed for over the counter sale, said JAVMA.